


The Seaest Escape

by Ldrmaslaz248



Category: Beetlejuice - All Media Types, Beetlejuice - Perfect/Brown & King
Genre: A mix between all verses, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Alternate Universe - Pirates of the Caribbean Fusion, Eventual Smut, Explicit Language, F/M, Golden Age of Piracy, Musicalbabes, Pirate AU, Pirate Violence Warning, Pirates, Romance, Unresolved Sexual Tension, beetlebabes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-14 12:00:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 64,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28795041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ldrmaslaz248/pseuds/Ldrmaslaz248
Summary: There is a captain that sails the seas, haunting the dark waters. There is a young girl who wishes nothing more than to end her life. Once they meet will they finally be able to find peace within each other. Will the sea be the sweetest escape for them both? Or will there forever be a storm a' brewing?Now Complete
Relationships: Beetlejuice/Lydia Deetz
Comments: 82
Kudos: 66





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Art work done by MocaMagical on Tumblr  
> https://mocamagical.tumblr.com/  
> I couldn't have made this story without her constant support and wonderful ideas! Thank you to all on discords for supporting me to get this fic out to you all! I love you guys!  
> The art at the top is mine. I recently made this collage to go with the story!

“You’re an idiot, Lyds.” Lydia said to herself as she paced the enclosed space of Captain Stephen’s cabin. She should have never stowed away on this Royal Navy ship. She should have never left the house during that chilly night. She had never have had thoughts of stupid idiotic ideas that a normal nineteen-year-old would never fathom.

~

Lydia Deetz was the daughter of Charles Deetze, who was the Governor of Isle de Corona. They lived close to Fort Salvador and her father had become good friends with the Royal Navy higher ups. The Deetze family had lost Emily Deetze nearly eleven years ago and it had left a sizable gap in the family. Lydia missed her mother every day. Sadly, at the same time, her mother’s death had been a blessing in disguise. It meant that Charles was lenient on what Lydia wanted to learn and what she had wanted to do.

Lydia had begged for sword fighting lessons and though it had been hard to find, Charles finally had found a teacher for her. She had dedicated herself to the training, becoming one of the finest sword fighters upon the island.

It wasn’t as if anyone would ever recognize her as such, since she could never escape being a woman. The navy wouldn’t take her among their ranks. Her father wouldn’t hear of her trying to join them.

She was lucky in other senses. Her father had yet to try to marry her to someone. She was older than was expected. She should have been debuted to be courted at the age of sixteen, but Charles hadn’t spoken of doing such a thing.

She knew each day was just a matter of her freedom ending but still Charles remained silent upon the subject. He had to be plotting the idea of getting her with someone or must have been still in the process of finding someone who would even look at Lydia.

It wasn’t that she wasn’t an appealing woman. She just wasn't what the average man wanted in a lady.

She had muscles from all her training, and they weren’t appealing to the men who had no want of strong women. Her legs were where most of her strength resided, and then what was worse was that her hands were in no way soft. She had held a sword since the age of eight. Her hands were tough with calluses upon calluses along her palms.

She wouldn’t trade her rough hands or strong legs for any man in the world.

Lydia loved being able to defend herself. She loved the feel of the sword in her hand. The weight, the responsibility, the freedom. It was thrilling, intoxicating.

If her father finally found a man who would take her as his partner, as a silent lady to give him an heir and nothing more. She would have to give it all up, she would have to give up her freedom. That notion was what had led to where she was now.

It wasn’t that Lydia wanted to see the world. What did the world even have to offer her? It was most likely just another place that had men crawling all over it, thinking that they could control her.

If you had asked Lydia if she wanted to see the world, her answer would have been a disgusted no.

No, it was smaller than that. It wasn’t that she wanted to see the world, she just wanted to be off this island. She wanted to be away from the rules, the obligations, the stares that looked at her as if she was an anomaly amongst the normal.

She was proud that she was different but having been stared at like she was a glitch that disrupted their normal lives was tiring. She was tired and so it was finally time to take the chance to change it all.

She knew Captain Stephen was taking the Maura to seas that night. When Captain Aaron Stephen had come over to her family’s estate for dinner the prior evening, she had her father and him talking about him sailing under orders from his admiral. Charles had wished the Royal Naval leader a safe trip and prayers to return in one piece. Both were unaware of Lydia listening in the next room over.

In hindsight, she should have known that Stephen would immediately turn the ship back if she was found, but she hadn’t even bothered to think of such things. She had just packed a rucksack and had snuck out of the house to make her way down to the docks. She had scoffed at how easy it had been to board the Maura and hide amongst the supplies. It all had been easy, but just as she knew it would happen, she was finally found.

She had been found on the fourth day out to sea and she was surprised it had taken that long for them to find her.

A standard cabin boy had spotted her. She lightly struggled just for show as he had dragged her up to the deck. Captain Stephen’s face had darkened in uncontrollable fury as his eyes landed on her. He had immediately forced her into his cabin, shouting for her to explain herself.

She had tried. She really had. She had to say that she just wanted to be dropped off at the next port, that she didn’t mean any harm, that she would comply if he just allowed her to stay. No words could leave her. Spoken language had died on her tongue, or it was as if her whole body had gone frozen. She couldn’t explain. Her mouth wouldn’t form the words.

Tears had gathered in her eyes because she didn’t understand why she couldn’t just say the words. Why was she freezing now? Why wouldn’t the words come forth and help her? What was wrong with her?

She didn’t get a chance to think of the answer because once Stephen had seen the tears, he had smashed his hand against her cheek. His backhand had sent her hard to the floor. He loomed over her grabbing her black locks into his closed fist.

“You worthless girl! Do you have any idea what you have done! No, of course not! A brat such as yourself would never begin to understand! How can your father possibly put up with you?” He had growled before pushing her back down upon the floor.

“I feel sorry for Charles having you as a daughter. If you were my daughter, I would have already had you hung at the gallows! Jesus, now I’m now going to have to waste supplies and days to get you back to your father. Stay in here, you damned child! I don’t want to see your face among my crew ever again.” He had stormed out of his cabin after that, leaving her all alone.

She had gotten up and had only meandered about his grand cabin, but it was only hours later when he had rushed back into room. He had dove for his desk, where he pulled out a musket and began to check over it. He then caught her eyes, quickly rushing over to her, forcing down upon her knees.

“We’re being attacked. They cannot see you and they shouldn’t if you stay in here. Don’t make a sound! I’ll be back.” He ordered and then got up to head over to his door. He looked out of the crack to the deck then hurried out to join the fight. Lydia could hear it.

Why hadn’t she had bothered to listen until now?

She could hear guns and people yelling. What was happening? Stephen had said they were being attacked and she could only think of one type of people that would dare such a thing.

Pirates.

Pirates were on the ship and attacking the Royal Navy. She was on board of a ship that was under pirate attack when she should have been safe at home. She had pushed her weight against the door and covered her ears. It didn’t help. She could hear the death and she knew in no time at all she would be among it.

~

She snapped back to the present as the door was flung open once again. She wouldn’t hide this time. There was no point. Stephen’s great cabin didn’t have any spectacular hiding spaces. She stood right in the middle of the space glaring down the enemy that entered.

He certainly looked like a pirate. The man had hazel eyes and was wearing a blue over shirt. His pants might have been a red color of sorts or they could have been just stained with blood. Lydia didn’t wish to know the answer.

He landed his eyes upon her and she could tell he was taken aback. It wasn’t surprising. He most likely was expecting guns or valuables to steal from this room, not necessarily a prisoner. Or a woman one at that.

“Sacré bleu!” Jacques exclaimed as he quickly closed the door behind him. He looked back and forth between the entrance he had come through and to Lydia.

“You…you’re a …oh goodness what do I do! I …oh …oh no I can’t just…but the Cap’n…”

He was a French man that was able to speak English. That was surprising to Lydia, but she ignored it once he had said ‘captain’. She was quite positive he didn’t mean Stephen, it must have been his own captain. She didn’t exactly understand why he was afraid of finding her, but she knew they couldn’t stay like this for long.

She sighed and walked over to the still stuttering pirate and held up her wrists. Jacques jumped as he noticed she had come to stand toe to toe with him.

“I’m a prisoner on this ship and that means I’m your Captain’s prisoner now. Come on, take me to him, already.” Lydia said as if she had to explain to him how pirating worked. She shoved out her two wrists for him to bind them, even though both knew he didn’t have rope or cuffs upon his persons.

“Oh mademoiselle, you have no idea what you are getting into.” Jacques sighed as he slowly took her wrist and began to lead them out to the grand cabin.

She wouldn’t tell him she didn’t care. It wouldn’t do any good. She was either about to die by this unknown Captain’s hand or if she were lucky, she would be thrown in the brig to slowly die alone.

Jacques led Lydia out of the cabin, and she squinted as the sunlight hit her in the face. She still followed as he guided them through the groups of ragged clothed men. They all stopped what they were doing as Jacques passed with Lydia trailing him. They all stared at her like the men upon her home had. Once her eyes had adjusted to being back outside, she glared at them all.

The groups parted and she gasped as she suddenly saw some of the navy sailors were tied up in a group along the ships rail. Stephen was out in front of his fellow soldiers. He was yelling at a man who was standing before him, a striped coat was covering his body. There was no mistake of who this was. Lydia thought of the word just as Jacques opened his mouth.

‘Captain.’

“Captain!” Jacques yelled out to be heard over Stephen’s shouting. The two captains turned to him and Lydia took in the pirate Captain for the first time.

He was tall, was her first thought. She was on the small side so most men were tall to her but even then, he still appeared to be taller than average. He had haunting golden eyes that seemed even to glow in the blazing sun. There were two things that were surprising about him.

His hair had coal black roots, but his tips were a blazing green. The beautiful green of an emerald that was the shade he had managed to get into his hair. It was incredible and her mouth dried at the sight. He had a five ‘o clock shadow that accented his face quite nicely.

She could imagine him trying to get hints of green upon his scruff but had it never exactly working out the way he wanted. Then what she was most surprised about was that he was pale. She was sure some noble women would be jealous of how pale he was.

That is what it reminded her of. He was pale as a nobleman, maybe even a shade paler.

How was that possible? How could someone who dedicated his life to the sun and hardship be as pale as a ghost?

The surprising living ghost was looking right at her. He scanned her completely before he loudly chuckled, placing his hands upon his hips.

“Well well well, what’cha got there, Jacques? Looks like ya found…treasure.” The Captain smirked as his tongue licked his lips at the last word. The crew around him laughed before crowding around them to see what was going to happen. 

“I…I…oh dear…” Jacques was practically trembling. If Lydia had been in a different situation, she would have taken his hand to calm him, but she couldn’t do that now. She stayed still as the pirate tried his darndest to speak to the green haired man.

“I found her in the…in his cabin si…sir…She says she was his…his prisoner…” Jacques had pointed at Stephen then turned to Lydia, looking awfully guilty. He then stepped behind her and gently nudged her towards the Captain.

Well, he tried to. It was more that he had taken her shoulders and wanted to push her forward, yet couldn’t bring himself to do it. Lydia had walked forward all on her own, stopping once she was before not only the unknown Captain but also within Stephen’s sight.

She knew he could say her name at any time. He could give her identity away so she turned her glare to him, hoping it would keep him silent. If he revealed that she was nothing more than a governor’s daughter, then she could have no hope for what would happen to her.

“That so? You, Cap’n Wimpy, taking prisoners? That’s new!”

Lydia couldn’t tell if he was confessing to knowing Stephen personally, or that he had just heard about his reputation. It was true the Navy leader wasn’t known as someone who was keen about taking prisoners. She sighed as she crossed her arms over her chest and turned her eyes upon the nameless striped pirate leader.

“It’s not. I just told…Jacques, was it…I just told him that because I knew he would bring me before you. I’m not his prisoner. I’m just a stow away. I believe you and I both know why he locked me up in his cabin.” She raised her eyebrow at him, and the green haired pirate threw back his head to loudly laugh.

They were probably thinking of different reasons but at least she was getting him to listen to her. She was about to continue but she jerked back as he suddenly stepped closer to her. He chortled with a white toothed smile and grabbed her wrist, pulling her back towards him.

His grip was rougher than Jacques. He dug his nails into her skin and he jerked her as if he was trying to rip out her arm. She hissed out as he had pulled so hard that she collided into his chest.

“Yeah, I can def’ see why, you are quite the sight. You sure know how to pick them, Cap’ Wimpy.” The pirate sniggered as he looked deeply into her eyes before shooting a smirk to Captain Stephen, who only sneered as a response.

Lydia backed up out of his arms and he was surprised that she wasn’t blushing. Poor thing probably was hit on once a day and now only found compliments like that repulsive. This nameless lass was quite interesting, and the Captain wanted to know everything about her.

“You got a name, Lass?” He asked as he crossed his arms over his chest that was covered with a deep maroon-colored shirt.

“Nope.”

“Now, I know that’s a lie.” He rolled his eyes with an overly loud scoff. “Everyone’s got a name. What? Is it an embarrassing one, like Prudence or somethin’?”

“No.” Lydia refuted as she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms as well. She would not say her name because everyone here most likely knew Governor Deetz. She would keep her name hidden ‘til the grave, but thankfully she had already thought up a good lie.

“I don’t know what to tell you. I grew up in an orphanage and they gave us names like ‘you, come here’ or ‘hey stupid, get over here’ so I never had a name. They numbered us, I can give you my number, if that is what you want.”

“Whoa, that sucks. Guess, if you don’t have a name then you won’t be missed, but you are a stow away so tell me, why did you get on this ship?”

“It’s not important.” Lydia retorted and shot another glare at Stephen, who had scoffed at her answer. She was surprised to see that the non-tied up Captain had also glared at him. He was probably quickly losing his patience with the naval leader.

“Tell me anyway.” The pirate leader countered as his eyes landed back upon her. 

“I’ve been living on Corona all my life and it was nothing but hell, so I just wanted to get to the next port. I figured any new port was a chance to start over.” She explained as she chanced a glance out into the sea, knowing it very well might be the last thing she looked at.

There was no way that this captain wasn’t going to kill them all. The soldiers were the enemy to him, and she had announced herself as a useless woman. Woman would have no place on his pirate ship so there was no chance she would be taken prisoner. 

“You just wanted off your little floating rock? Gawd, that is so boring!” He asked in disbelief before boisterously sighing. His men laughed at his exclamation of her answer. Lydia shot her glare towards the pale pirate and her nails dug into her arms as she tried to ignore the laughing. 

She was used to getting stares from other men for being different, but she had never gotten laughed at. The men upon her home island most likely laughed about her all the time, but never to her face. They wouldn’t dare laugh at her while her father was around to hear about it. Yet they were never afraid to look at her as if she were a good for nothing piece of trash.

“Are you done?” She hissed as if the Captain was the one who had laughed at her himself. “I’ve told you my tragic backstory, now can we move on, don’t you have a ship to raid?” 

“Sure sure, Lass, let’s move on to that. What's to say I just shoot you before I shoot them?” The golden eyed pirate chuckled as he took out a pistol and cocked it. Once it was pressing against Lydia’s forehead, she merely rolled her eyes and let her hands drop from her chest to her sides.

“Go ahead. But I have advice you will want to hear before you kill me.”

“Oh, do ya now?”

“Yes.” She affirmed as she pointed to the soldiers to their side. “First thing is if you are going to rape this ship then you best kill every single one of them, and before sailing away make sure they burn until they are unrecognizable then sink the ship. If any of them survive then they’ll report that it was a pirate attack. Then you’ll just have the navy come hunt you down in revenge. ‘Dead men tell no tales’; I believe the saying is correct?”

“Aye.” The nameless Captain agreed with a smirk.

“Second, the supplies that are on the ship. Fourth level is the food and animals, but what you are after is what is on the third level. It’ll mostly be barrels but you should know that they are a trick. There are barrels of gunpowder, but half of them are filled with either gold or silver.”

The entire deck fell silent once the word gold had left Lydia’s lips. The Captain’s eyes had widened, and a wide tooth vicious smile curled upon his face. He fired the tied up naval leader a look before landing his gaze once again on the so-called “stow away.”

“Oh, and how do you know that?”

“I watched them load it onto the ship. The barrels with the gold will have gunpowder about as deep as a hand and then you should find wood and under that will be the goods.”

“YOU DAMNED BIT-“ Stephen had roared while he had gotten to his feet to tackle Lydia. He never got the chance. Once he rose to his feet the other Captain shot him, the bullet blowing right through his head. His lifeless body fell to the deck and Lydia hadn’t even jumped as she watched it all unfold.

It was good that he was dead. One less person to tell this swashbuckler across from her who she was.

“I am having a conversation here! I swear to fucking everything if one more person speaks up while I’m talking to the Lass, they’re next. Am I UNDERSTOOD!” Said pirate erupted and silence fell afterwards. No one dared to even cough as the captain then turned back to Lydia while reloading his pistol.

“Anything else?”

“No, that’s it.” Lydia replied as she knew that was the end of her knowledge. “At least that is all I was able to catch being loaded. And like I said if you burn this ship then the Navy will just assume an accident had happened while sailing so they shouldn’t come after you.”

“We’re kin’a close to Corona, what if they see the smoke and come after us while the ship is burning, what say you, girly girl?” The captain questioned once he finished loading his weapon then pointed it to her once again.

“I don’t know what to tell you exactly. We left port four days ago. That long away from port and the last time we were in port there was only one other ship besides this one. That one is one of the slowest of the fleet. I say you have a pretty fair amount of time to burn the bodies until they're unrecognizable at least.” Lydia shrugged as she thought about all points of the situation. At this point she was out of other advice and loudly sighed as she eyed the gun at her head.

“Look, that’s all I got now can you please get this over with and shoot me.” She added before her eyes dropped to wait for him to fire his weapon. She wanted this and would not fight it.

No more expectations. No more stares. No more nothing. Freedom would finally be hers.

Instead of a bullet, a hand fisted in her black hair and lips closed over hers. The pirate captain had kissed her. He pulled back with a loud smack of his lips and laughed. Lydia had immediately gasped in surprise and had pushed against his chest but with his arm around her she couldn’t move back even an inch.

“Thanks, Babes, I think I’ll keep ya around.” 

“What!” She barked as her surprise left her while her face turned red from embarrassment and anger.

“Well, see I was going to shoot ya.” The captain practically giggled like a child as he put his gun away then wrapped his other arm around her waist. “But I first had to thank ya for all the information and then I realized you want to die. It’s no fun killing someone who wants it, ya know what I mean? So nah, I ain’t going to kill ya today. You’re coming with me.”

“No! Just kill m- ”

“And we’re done talking, up ya go.” Lydia shrieked as the man picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. She tried to roll off, but his arm was like an iron locking her in place.

“You heard the Lass, everyone! We got a ship to raid and some navy men to kill. Get to it. Monstro!” 

“Aye, Cap’n?” A man that was deeply tan came up to the pirate leader at the call of his name. 

“You’re in charge until I get back. It’ll just take a moment to lock up the Lass here.” Captain explained while jostling Lydia as if his first mate didn’t understand who he was talking about. Lydia growled and tried to punch his back though it did no good. The man didn’t even flinch under her fists. 

She wanted to kick him, but she also didn’t wish to find out what he would do if her shoes actually struck his chest. 

“You got it, sir. I’ll get us started on burning these men.” Monstro replied as he and the other pirate eyed the still very much alive soldiers. They would only be breathing minutes longer, if even that. 

“Try not to have too much fun until I can join you.” 

“No promises, sir.” The green haired leader threw his crewman a savage grin before clapping Monstro on his shoulder. He then turned away from the action to walk away. He made it to the gang planks that connected the two ships and hopped up onto the closet one. 

Lydia watched as a group of pirates surrounded the soldiers. She saw it all in slow motion as it was quiet for just a moment then with a resonating bang all who wore the naval colors were no more. She had closed her eyes once the bodies fell upon each other to the blood-soaked deck. She knew it was going to happen. She had known their fate once she had been brought out of Stephen’s cabin. If she had known, why did she still feel slightly bad for their deaths? 

She didn’t have time to think about it because the Captain had arrived at his cabin. He entered the space before kicking the door closed behind him. He looked about before eyeing a sparse corner off to the left. He made his way over and set her down quickly taking her wrist in a bruising grip. 

He then slammed a pair of irons upon her and she looked at where he had placed her. She was attached to a chain that was bolted to the cabin’s wall. It was short enough that there was nothing around her she could use as a weapon against him. 

“Congratulations, you gained another mouth to feed. I’m sure your comrades will love you for that.” Lydia spat as she let herself fall to her knees while turning away from him. He chuckled as he bent down and took her chin into his palm making her look back up to him. 

Goodness, even while he was crouching, he was tall. It wasn’t fair. Her neck will quickly get sore if she had to continue to look up at him while she was upon his ship. 

“They’ll get over it, especially since you told us about the gold, Babes. That is if what ya were saying back there was actually true.” 

“Please.” Lydia scoffed as she deeply rolled her brown eyes. “What use would I have lying to you?” 

“To save your skin?” He shrugged but smirked as her face hardened into a glare after hearing his words. 

“BULLSHIT!” She barked, jerking her chin out of his hand. He was surprised that she didn’t try to bite his grimy fingertips.

“I knew you were going to kill all of us the moment I saw you! ‘Save my own skin’, don’t fucking joke with me! I made it perfectly clear I wanted you to kill me! Why the fuck am I here! I’m useless to you! You should have killed me! It doesn’t matter, you can’t keep me alive.” 

“Is that a threat?” He challenged with a raise of a coal black eyebrow. 

“It’s a promise.” She affirmed as she was done with this conversation. She glared down at the wooden floor and pushed herself up against the wall to get some inches between them.  
  
“We’ll see about that, Babes. Now, you’ll have to pardon me, I got some work to do.” The Captain rose back to his full height and turned on his boots to head back out the door. Lydia couldn’t help watching him go, silently admiring how he carried himself. 

If he wasn’t so frustrating, she may have in another life had admitted that he was a tad handsome. Here in this moment, she wouldn’t even secretly think such a thing. She didn’t even know his name. 

“Hey!” She called out just in time to catch him before he reached out for the doorknob. 

“Yeah, Lass, got something else to say?” He asked as he looked over his shoulder to gaze back to her. 

“Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. You know my backstory and you’ve given me a name, don’t I deserve the same?” 

“You don’t...you don’t know my name?” He seemed surprised. He completely turned back to face her, and his face had confusion etched upon his features. He studied her expression for a moment longer than realization settled in his widened eyes. He brought up his hand to ruffle his squid ink-colored roots. 

“Wow, you really don’t know who I am.” 

“Should I know it?” She asked as confusion was settling over her own face. 

“If you have lived on Corona, especially close to the Fort, then you have heard of me, make no mistake.” 

“Oh?” 

He laughed before he slightly bowed and placed a hand over where his heart would be. He beamed as his golden eyes locked with her mysterious brown globes. 

“My name is Beetlejuice Lawrence Shoggoth but you probably heard my other name. The Ghost Pirate, at your service, Lass.” Lydia’s face paled as ashy as his own whitish skin and her manifestation fell in horror. His face returned to a smirk and he pointed his finger at her. 

“Yep, there it is. That’s the face that knows my name. Welcome to The Kali, Lass. I’m sure you’ll be enjoying your stay.” With that he snickered while going through the door, at last leaving his prisoner all alone. 

His words echoed in her head as she slumped against the wall of the ship. The wall of The Kali, the ship of the murderous Ghost Pirate that haunted the seven seas. 

“Oh gods, help me.” She whispered out even though she knew even all the spirits of the world couldn’t help her now. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Monstro is Monster from Across the Street, this is just his shortened name so that you know him. Please leave a comment if you have liked this story! Tell me what you think! I'll see you all in the next chapter!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BTW what I am using for a guide for Beej's Ship can be found here  
> https://i.pinimg.com/originals/6c/c0/d5/6cc0d5faf4e29e916f2944654fb61b5b.jpg

It must have been hours. She could feel the ship moving. It was slow at first but then it was getting a good speed. The ship jerked and she jumped as she suddenly heard a cannon blast.

Did he fire at the ship instead of burning it? Did he do both? The soldiers were dead at least.

Beetlejuice wouldn’t have any way to learn of her identity now. She would just find some way to kill herself upon this ship then she could finally be free. She doubted she could plead with him to drop her off at a port, so death was the only option now.

She went over ways she could put an end to her life then the door opened. She expected it to be the captain again but it was someone new. She got to her feet as he looked about the cabin before spotting her.

“Oh, so it’s true.” He said as he fully stepped into the space carrying a bundle in his arms. His skin had a sickly green hue to it and his hair was black as the night sky. His eyes were a stormy dark blue, but they seemed kind. She was hesitating to trust them. He may appear gentle but he was still upon a pirate ship.

“Hello, miss. I’ve brought you a change of clothes. Please don’t attack me when I unlock your cuffs. There is someone at the door to stop you if you get pass me, which I assure you will if you tried.” He softly giggled as he set the clothes upon a chest next to Lydia.

He reached out and took her wrists to unlock the irons. She didn’t move once the chain had fallen upon the floor. If what this new sailor had said was true, then there was no point in fighting. She may do some serious damage to him and she had no beef with him. The poor thing looked as if someone merely smacked him, he would fall over dead.

“Oh yes, pardon.” He realized as he turned around so that she may change.

Lydia realized he was going to stay as she got out of her clothes. He was at least respecting her privacy. She sighed as she began to undo her clothes. She kept her corset with the new clothes but let the others fall down her body.

They had given her a smaller size of the navy uniform. She scowled at the garments as if they had personally offended her. They must have found it while raiding through the goods upon the Maura. At least she was finally able to wear pants and would hopefully no longer have to see a dress again.

“Excuse me?” She asked out with an annoyed sigh. She wasn’t annoyed with the tiny man but she was embarrassed that she would have to ask for his help.

“Yes?” He replied slightly jumping at her question. He didn’t turn around afraid of what he might see. He hadn’t expected her to speak to him.

“I need your help. Please.” Lydia asked quietly as she held the corset up to her chest. She could usually do the ties by herself. She could get them done decent enough, but it wasn’t enough. She wished for a bit more support.

She realized he most likely wouldn’t be able to do much for he probably had never even seen a corset. It couldn’t be help all she needed was another pair of hands and she could talk him through it.

“Oh miss, I don…I don’t know if I can…” The blue-eyed boy gulped as he had turned around.

“I’ll talk you through it. You just have to pull the top and bottom strings and tie it.” Lydia assured kindly as she turned around to show him the back. “What’s your name?”

“Vince, miss.”

“Well Vince, see those two ties hanging out of the last holes, grab those and tug. You won’t hurt me so it’s okay.” The boy did as she instructed, and she walked him through the full process. Once she was fully tied up she sighed deeply and gave him a grateful smile. She omitted the coat he had brought her though she would use it as a blanket if she had to sleep here.

“Thank you, Vince.” She said as she looked down at the outfit then held out her wrists. Vince nodded as he fastened the irons back upon her. His face was covered in a deep red blush and it made Lydia chuckle. She had embarrassed the poor sickly boy and she felt slightly guilty.

“Y-yes, miss. I am…I’m to give you a message that the captain will share dinner with you tonight in here. I can have those clothes washed for you, I’ll return them tonight. Yes…yes, I’ll do that, until then miss.” Vince gathered the clothes and scurried out of the room.

Lydia sighed as she settled back down upon the floor. The captain wished to dine with her. It wasn’t surprising. He was most likely trying to learn about her through a good meal. She was sure that they would be celebrating tonight for such a successful raid anyway.

This might be here chance. She closed her eyes as she thought of a plan. There would be a lot of improvising, but it was at least an idea. Now there was nothing to do but wait.

It wasn’t much longer that pirates came in to the space and began clearing off the table in the middle of the room. They made sure to keep things away from her and most of them didn’t even look at her. They set the table and brought in a modest sized feast. It was too much for just the two of them and it would surely be shared to the rest of the crew once they had their shares.

Beetlejuice came into the room clasping one of the men upon the shoulder. The pirates filed out leaving prisoner and captain all alone. He smirked as he came up to her taking just a moment to scan her new appearance. She deeply glared at him and turned away from his gaze.

“You might as well give that to the crew. I won’t dine with you.” She declared and she would have crossed her arms if it weren’t for the clasps upon her arms. 

“What? You plan to starve to death?” Bj teased as he crossed his own arms as if to copy what she wished to do with her hands.

“No.” She hissed. She had thought of it but there were many problems with death by starvation. It was too long and they could find ways to make her eat. She didn’t want to go through all that, and besides, it wouldn’t go with her made up history.

“I told you. I’m an orphan so I know better than to waste food. I also have been taught better than that, I would never insult the one who took time to cook for me while I’m a useless prisoner.” She scolded before turning to him. Her glare was like a sharpened dagger and it sent a shiver through his bones.

“No, I will not dine with you because you’re my captor. I’m sure you want me to dine with you to learn something. I don’t know what exactly that is, but it doesn’t matter, because it won’t happen. Leave me be and go celebrate with your crew.” 

She had turned away from him again, but he reached out and had taken her hand. He unlocked the chains and they fell to the ground with a loud clatter. He then guided her across the room to the table. She dragged her feet but he only chuckled as he forced her into the chair at the head.

“Don’t eat if you don’t wanna but at least have a drink. You’re dehydrated. I can hear it in your voice, Lass.” He shrugged as he sat next to her and grabbed a cup, placing it in front of her. He grabbed one for himself and took a long drink.

She watched as the liquid spilled over from his lips to roll down into scruff. He wiped his mouth before reaching over for the fruit platter and chose an orange. It was then that she realized he had changed clothes as well. He was now in a grayish simple shirt and his pants were an earth brown. He peeled at the fruit before popping a piece into his mouth.

“I heard you made Vince blush like a virgin.” He said as he caught her eyes, continuing to munch on slices of the orange.

“I had him help with my clothes. He looked as if he had never seen a woman before.” She replied as she finally reached out for the goblet. She took a tentative sip thankful that it was just water. She hadn’t been offered much alcohol back on her island nor did she wish to get drunk with the devilish captain about.

She eyed the knife at her place mat, but her gaze looked back up to him as the captain had loudly chuckled.

“What?”

“Nothing.” He dismissed as if he knew a hidden secret he wouldn’t share.

It was most likely true. He probably knew a ton of things that she didn’t know. The thing was though that he probably didn’t realize the extent of her knowledge. She had to be careful to not reveal too much. She didn’t know anything about him, he may be able to read the signs of a noblewoman.

“So, ” He brought her out of her thoughts as he spoke up. He finished with the orange and picked up an apple in its place. “You said you wanted to go to the next port. You got a port in mind or does any one work for you?”

“Are you saying…if I tell you, will you drop me off there?” She asked as she set the goblet down after taking another drink.

“Nope!” He chuckled as her face fell in despair. He loved how expressive his new prisoner was. There were still one or two things he couldn’t figure out about her, but she wore her expressions on her sleeve. And to him it was quite adorable. 

“Then why does it matter?” She hissed with an annoyed roll of her hazel eyes. She didn’t want to give in but before she realized what she was doing she was reaching for the grape bowl and began to eat them. It had been a long time since she had them, so she savored the taste upon her tongue.

It was only when she noticed his satisfied smirk that she recognized what she was doing. It was too late now. She kept eating as if she wasn’t acknowledging the look.

“Just making general conversation.” He shrugged, forgoing to mention that she was eating. If she was an orphan, then who knew when was the last time the Lass had eaten. The thought didn’t settle with him for several reasons.

He had been all over the world. He had seen every type of orphan there was. Ones who resided in actual orphanages then others that were left to rot on the streets. There was no way that this lady was an orphan. He could see it just in the way she was sitting.

The girl was sitting with her back straight, as if a rod were pressing against her spine. She was savoring the grapes she was munching on but even the way she picked up the food and chewed silently as if she wasn’t there. Those were skills you didn’t learn at an orphanage and most certainly not on the streets. No, those were behaviors that were shoved down your throat by the time you could walk.

It was etiquette a nobody could never fake nor a noble hide.

He didn’t get a chance to bring it up. He had been so lost in his thoughts that he screamed as something suddenly punctured his leg. Lydia had watched as he had been caught up with his ideas and had jumped at her moment. She had grabbed the knife and brought it down into the leg that had been touching hers. His scream was all she needed.

Lydia quickly turned and rushed out of the cabin. She didn’t make it far, just as she had figured would happen. She had just come upon the main mast when the pirates surrounded her. They didn’t reach out for her but they kept their circle tight knit not allowing her to escape.

‘Shoot me.’ She thought as she glanced at them all. They just had to shoot her. She had attacked their captain and was trying to escape. That was more than enough of a reason for them to shoot her.

“Come on…” She hissed as she looked at each one of them. Finally, one on the far end was reaching for his belt. Yes! He had just placed his hand upon his pistol when a voice rang out over the quarter deck.

“NO One Touch her!” Beetlejuice called out as he came out of his quarters. He walked over to the group making his way to the center of the ring. Once he was across from Lydia, he glared as he tossed the blood covered knife to her feet.

“Nice try, Lass. What, did you think they would shot you for attacking me? Good plan, but one problem, everyone here knows to not to hurt ya.” Beetle explained as he gestured out to the people around him.

“Cap’n…” A pirate off to the left spoke up while leaning closer to Beetlejuice. He held up his hand for silence knowing the fellow pirate was just going to fuss about the injury on his leg. The lass had gotten him good. The knife had punctured deep and he was bleeding badly. It hurt but he could ignore it for now.

“Now, what do I do with you? I can’t let ya off for doing that to me.”

“Parley.” Lydia answered as she stood her ground. She fisted her hands as he merely laughed at her while placing his hands upon his waist.

“That doesn’t work in this situation, Lass. You’re already in front of me and we had a discussion.”

“It means to discuss terms to end hostilities between two sides. So I say Parley and you will hear my terms.” She hissed as her glare didn’t waver. This wasn’t going to work out, so this was her last hope. She had to use what she knew against him.

Beetlejuice rolled his eyes as he adjusted his weight to favor his good leg. He couldn’t stand here all day but he didn’t have to hear her out either. If he did hear her terms and beat her terms as well then maybe he would understand what was going on. He would listen to her terms and perhaps would finally figure out the last piece of the puzzle.

“Go on.” He said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Lydia looked around her and there was a pirate on her left. He was on the shorter side, even shorter than her, but he was covered in weapons. He had two upon his back, two in his belt at his hips, and daggers in countless places as well. She was sure he was hiding pistols upon his persons as well, but she was not too concerned about it. She stepped up to him and was able to snatch one of the swords from his back holders.

“Hey!” He barked as he made to chase her, but he halted at the look from his Captain. Lydia stood back where she had been and looked over the sword. She adjusted until she liked how it felt in her hand then pointed it to the Captain.

“Fight me. You and me, sword to sword. You win and you can do what ever the hell you want to me. I’ll be a good little prisoner that you wish for, in fact I’ll even bloody enjoy it. But, I win, and you let me jump overboard. No arguments and no saving me.”

She was actually serious. She thought she could out sword fight a pirate that had done this for a good many years. This was crazy and Beetlejuice bristled as he wanted nothing more to understand. He hated being in the dark and this brat was keeping the darkest secret from him. He unsheathed his own sword and the pirates all backed away to give them space to fight.

“If I win, you will tell me the truth if I ask you a question.”

“No.” She retorted as she stood in the proper fighting stance. One that was trained into her for years. “I was the one who said parley. I make the terms that’s how it works.”

“Don’t tell me how to pirate, Lass. It pisses me off.” Beetlejuice teased as he got into a stance. It was eased compared to hers but still they were facing off each other now.   
  
They circled each other. She moved away from the main mast so that he couldn’t back her up to it. They were sizing up each other and judging when was the moment to strike. It seemed that Beetlejuice had gotten impatient for he moved first striking to her left side. Lydia blocked his sword with ease. Her own had clanged against his with a resonating clash. It filled her with adrenalin, and she hid a smirk as she knew this fight was going to be good. If even it was her last fight it was going to be fun to sword fight someone who didn’t know her talent.

Beetlejuice flicked his wrist and their swords met, clanging again. They backed up after pushing off from the meet of the weapons. This was surprising. He had assumed she hadn’t known how to fight as well as she was.

“Okay, you know what you’re doing, but show me your foot work.” He took a few steps, but Lydia met his strides as flawlessly as any senior soldier would.

Their blades would connect seamlessly before drawing back. The swords of both moved through the air repeatedly. The blades linked in the wind with loud metallic clangs over and over again. Beetlejuice’s face had fallen into concentration while Lydia blocked each of his blows efficiently. They were performing a dance that sword fighters had known for generations before them both.

This couldn’t go on. They were matched and Beetlejuice had almost lost his sword as the Lass had tried to hook his weapon out of his hand. He was losing blood and he couldn’t best her. He had a wilder style than her, but her blocks were all perfection. Her calm and cautious style would drain him of his stamina and then he would lose her.

That was not going to happen if he could help it.

He formed a plan. He began to strike and jab at her differently than before. Lydia was too concerned with blocking that she didn’t realize what he was doing. He was backing her up and with a few final strikes that she effortlessly parried, she was trapped. He had her against the main mast. Their blades were connected. Beej had dragged his down Lydia’s so that he may lean between the V shape the swords had formed.

“Ya know, you sure are a mystery, Lass.”   
  
“Shut up.” Lydia hissed as she focused on keeping him back. It was hard, she had strength but he had more weight on him in comparison.

“You might have even won…” He whispered just loud enough for the two of them to hear. “…if this was a fair fight.”

Before Lydia could question what he had meant, his free hand had swiped at her between their attached weapons. Once his arm was away, he backed up keeping his sword up in case she countered. The nick of his dagger had been precise. Lydia’s corset and shirt fell open in front of the entire crew. She yelled out as she used her non sword hand to grab the scraps of fabric to cover herself.

It wasn’t enough, she would have to drop the sword if she wanted to save her dignity. Beetlejuice was sure it was over but he jerked back as she hollered furiously and lunged her sword for his stomach. He was quick to dodge her attack. He then wrapped an arm around her throat and she dropped her sword to dig her nails into his skin.

It was over.

Once she dropped the sword, he secured his arm around her waist to hold her arms still and brought the sword to her throat. He tilted her chin up to look at him, but her eyes were closed, and she was hissing like an angered cat. Beetlejuice was just thankful it was all over. The brat was an amazing fighter. She had a talent not that he would admit it out loud.

“What, Lass? Nothing to say to the victor?” He teased as he had a secure hold on her.

“You cheated you bastard!” She spat as she was unconcerned that there was a sword pressing into her skin.

“Pirate.” He shrugged with a loud chuckle. “What you didn’t expect for me to fight dirty? Don’t know why you lost over a shirt, Lass. I mean there ain’t much there, is there Lads?” Beetlejuice called out his crew as he pushed away the fabric barley hanging upon her frame.

Lydia’s face had already turned red after he had attacked her. The perverted pirate was showing her bare form off like a gawd damn trophy. She was humiliated but she bit her lip to keep her tears at bay. She would not give these jerks the satisfaction of her embarrassed tears. 

“Someone, come here and bind her hands!” The pirate that had spoke up at the beginning of all this came forward pushing their own coat off their shoulders. The pirate had green eyes and covered in different shades of red, even their coat was red. It was draped over Lydia before the pirate took her hands securing them in rope.

Once she was bound, Beetlejuice backed away from her. Lydia wouldn’t even look at him. Her head just hung, her black locks hiding her face. He wanted to sheath his sword but he was leaning upon the weapon as a crutch.

“Lock her back up, Ginger. I’ll deal with her later. Monstro, I need ya.” Monstro was at Beetlejuice’s side in an instant. The captain completely put his weight onto him as he let his own sword fall. His leg stung and he was feeling dizzy. He had lost blood during the battle and the adrenalin was draining fast.

“Come on, Cap’n, to Kidder with ya.” Monstro said as he steered his friend to the infirmary. Ginger guided Lydia through the crowd and back into the grand cabin. Once the door was closed and firmly locked, the woman pirate sighed.

She led Lydia to where Beej had locked her up before, but she hesitated on putting the cuffs back on the young girl. Lydia slumped to the floor and curled up in a ball. She clutched the coat tightly around her as held back tears at last rolled down her cheeks. Ginger stroked her short hair as she let Lydia cry out in frustration.

“Just so you know, I thought you had him.” Ginger finally spoke up once the prisoner had hiccupped on a choked sob. “You were amazing. I was sure you were going to win. Where did you learn to fight?”

Lydia didn’t speak. She just gasped out a cry again and more tears fell from her. She turned away from the pirate and curled against the wall. She didn’t want to talk at all. She just wanted to be left alone.

“It’s okay. I get it. I’ll go find ya some more clothes.” Ginger carefully locked the iron around Lydia’s ankle since her hands were already bound. The red colored pirate then silently left the cabin to give the poor girl some space.

Lydia openly wept once she realized she was alone. It was as the captain had said, she didn’t have anything to boast about when it came to her features. It wasn’t what she was upset about. It was that the damned pirate had beaten her. It was a realization that Lydia always feared. She wasn’t good at sword fighting. The one thing she had dedicated her life to and she had been bested like an amateur.

It was all true. Her father, Captain Stephen, all the men in Fort Salvador who looked down upon her, they were all right.

She was useless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The small one who barked and was covered in weapons was Poopsie just so you all know ;)  
> Ginger will be the cook and the Boatswain  
> Vince is a cabin boy/powder Monkey  
> I forgot to mention Jacques position in the last bit but he mainly is just a crew man.  
> Oh and Captain Kidder aka Kidder here will be our Surgeon.   
> Please leave a comment if you have liked this story! Tell me what you think! I'll see you all in the next chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Art work done by MocaMagical on Tumblr  
> https://mocamagical.tumblr.com/  
> I couldn't have made this story without her constant support and wonderful ideas! Thank you to all on discords for supporting me to get this fic out to you all! I love you guys!

“That ye scrubber damned git…” Beetlejuice cursed as he was up upon the sick bay bed while Kidder looked over his injured leg.

“Aye, sir.” Kidder laughed as he secured clothes over the injury to stop the bleeding. “That Lass gotcha good, ‘at be for sure. It be a good ‘ing that we got supplies from that ‘oyal ship or I might’n have enough ‘anges for ya.”

“I outta give her 40 lashes across her leg. See how she likes it.”

“You’ll do no such thing.” Ginger growled as she came into the sick bay. Beetlejuice groaned as he flopped backwards upon the bed throwing an arm over his head.

“What do you want, Ginger? I ain’t in the bloody mood.”

“You’re not going to lash that poor girl, you already humiliated her. I can’t believe you did that, I mean what they hell were you thinking!” The Cook scorned her captain as her arms crossed her flat chest. 

“Oh please, she’ll bloody get over it.”

“That doesn’t mean you had to do that to her! She’s not us, Beej! Nor is she the common whore from Dante’s! She’s just a child and I know you know better! You’re a better man than how you just treated her!” Ginger barked as she tried to step up to the bed, but Kidder kept her back.

He was continuing to move around the bed to put on a paste of garlic and honey. It was even a fresh paste because the Maura had honey among its supplies, which was rare for sea travel. Beej groaned as the ointment settled into the puncture upon his thigh. He knew it would help with the infection, but it still stung like a bitch.

“Look,” He hissed as he tried to sit up, but Kidder was quick to force him back down. He glared at the ship’s surgeon before turning on his side to fully face the Boatswain. “…all I was thinking about was that I was not going to let her win. If she won then I would have lost her, that’s not happening.”

“You only won because you cheated and embarrassed her. Why the hell does it matter if she had lost or won! We’re blasted pirates, you had other options! You’re so adamant about keeping her alive like you…” Ginger paused as she went silent. She looked to Beetlejuice and studied his face for a moment. Once realization settled into her gaze, she gasped with a wicked smile.

“Ohhhh…” She dragged out the word and both men looked at her as if she had suddenly become the Kraken of the Dead Seas. She smirked at their confused expressions.

“You like her.”

“You’re crazy.” Beej replied as he rolled until he was upon his back once again.

“No, no, no, you like her. You’re obsessed with keeping her alive because you like looking at her. Or you see something about her that you like. What? Do you like that the Lass almost spanked ya with your own sword?”

“Can’t a man just want to keep his prisoner that he just got alive without being accused?” The Captain groaned as he ignored that his Cook was leering at him like a cat who caught a canary.

“If I may, I’d say you see her more than just a prisoner. There’d be something in your eyes when you look at her.” Kidder spoke up as he paused his wrapping of Beetlejuice’s leg.

“Yeah, I realized that too.” Ginger added with an amused giggle.

“Ya know since I can’t lash the Lass, maybe you both would like to feel the cat against your skins.”

“Fine, fine, Beej. Deny it until the sea cows come home. But look, just apologize to her. She at least deserves that for you.” The Boatswain commented as she made to finally leave the room. 

“Yeah, no.” Her fist slammed against the door frame and she was quick to spin back around.

“You despicable arse! You’re such a stubborn mule! One woman shows you up and it wounds your meager delicate pride! I swear sometimes I just wanna…”

“No fighting in my quarters!” Kidder barked as he meandered between the two pirates glaring them both down. “I made that per’ectly clear! Now that’s ‘nough out of the both of ya.”

“Fine!” Ginger backed away, surrendering the fight for another time. “But if I hear ya lash that girl, I swear you and I are going to have more than just words, Cap’n!”

“Fine, then you take her!” Beej scowled as he was not sure why he was saying this, but he didn’t want his sailing partner to have the final word. 

“What!”

“You wanna fight me so badly for her, then she’s fucking yours! Congrats, you just earned yourself a kitchen partner!” Beej was raising an eyebrow at her, challenging her object to his order.

Ginger thought of it for a moment even though she immediately wanted to open her mouth and argue. She had been complaining for a few years about having another helping hand in her space. None of the other crew man could keep up with her when she got into the zone. They always got in her way and just caused a mess.

She just wanted to argue because if the Captain and the Lass stayed together then he might finally apologize to her. It was a far stretch but it would happen if he had to be around her. She would have to think of another way to get them to get along.

“Fine then! I’m taking one of your shirts too!”

“Whatever the hell for!” Beej barked as Ginger made her way out of the sick bay.

“BECAUSE YOU DECDIED TO CUT UP THE LASS’S LIKE A SELFISH PIG, THAT’S WHY!”

Once the red clothed Privateer was out of sight, Kidder shook his head and went back to his work.

“That did not go well, Cap’n. If you ain’t going to apologize to the wee Lass, I’d say yours say sorries to Gin.”

“Yeah, Yeah, I will later.” Beej mumbled as he fell back against the bed. He watched the smaller buccaneer as he finished his task.

“Ya think that over all them years ya’d learn not to piss off the Miss that makes your food.” BJ rolled his eyes but made sure to stay still in fear that Kidder would begin to poke and prod him out of spite.

“Also, I know you know, but I’m going to say it anyway. We need to make port. We took damage chasing down the Maura. And with them goods we got from that ‘oyal Brigantine’ means we ‘an at las’ replace those ca’nons we lost during that last hurricane.” 

“I got it Kidder! I’m well aware what’s going on with my ship and what we can do. I wasn’t planning on chasing the Maura when we left last port. But you know as well as I that I couldn’t let that ship go. The Maura means a lot to the Navy and now with it blown to kingdom come, we can at least have a few months of quiet.” Beej groaned as he moved to sit up. He could feel the surgeons glare on his skin, but he ignored it. He had to get to out of this dreary space so they could figure out what port to sail too.

The Maura had been the most luck the Kali had seen in a good few month. First there was a hurricane that had stripped of some of their older and more reliable cannons. Then there had been a fight with a smaller pirate crew that were working for the French as slavers.

They had gotten a wee bit of damage from that scuttle and the storm, but it wasn’t enough for them to pull back into port. Then as if the spirits of the seas were blessing him, it was there. The Maura had been on the horizon. It was too good to pass up. Beetlejuice had to make chase and he had been proud that his crew wanted the same.

Who could ever know that on that ship that he would find a beautiful maiden with the sword skills of an Old Salt and a tongue as sharp as a cutlass?

As he got to his feet, he was the one to glare now as the older buccaneer passed him a crutch.

“No way.” He hissed as he made to move around the Surgeon, who slapped him upside his head. His right hand rubbed at the welt that formed while his left was now gripping the wooden crutch.

“You take that, boy, or I’ll give ya reason to need a crutch.” Kidder ordered before turning back to his supplies cabinet to begin his cleaning process. The younger pirate wanted to argue but he knew better. The former captain was not afraid to put the new leader back in his place.

He wasn’t above putting BJ over his knee for talking back to him.

Beetlejuice used the crutch and hobbled into his cabin. He quickly looked around but heaved a deep sigh as he saw his room was empty. Ginger had already come to collect the Lass. He growled as he had been too late. It wasn’t that he wouldn’t still see her, but it wasn’t the same. He fell upon the closet seat and rubbed at his injury as he gazed over at the corner where his prisoner had been.

He ignored the lonely chill that filled the room.

~

After Ginger stormed out of the sick bay, she had immediately made her way to chest in the sleeping areas. She grabbed some clothes than made her way to Beetlejuice’s quarters. She came into the main space of the grand cabin spotting that the Lass had fallen asleep.

Ginger smiled at the sight before continuing to Beej’s sleeping space. It was a smaller room at the back of the grand cabin. They used the bigger space for meetings and to choose navigation while this place was just for Beej to sleep. He had his own trunk of belongings which Ginger opened and pulled out one of his green shirts. As she came back into the grand cabin, the Lass was sitting up and gazing at her.

“Hello, my dear.” The Boatswain greeted as she came up to the young girl, setting down the new clothes. “I was able to find some new clothes for you.”

She reached out and unlocked the chain from Lydia’s ankle. She then undid the rope upon her wrists. Lydia shook out her hands rubbing her wrists as she looked down at the clothes. The shirt looked awful big while there were a pair of pants and a corset as well.

“I’ll be taking charge of ya, Lass.” Ginger spoke up as she reached out a hand for her coat. “You’ll be working with me in the kitchen. I also got a place for you to sleep. I don’t use it anymore ‘cause I sleep with my husband. I’d have to ya lock ya up in there every night but ya’ll at least have a bunk to yourself.”

Lydia nodded as she passed back the pirate’s blood colored coat then began to take off the tatters that did nothing to cover her. She didn’t mind about the Privateer seeing her since she was a fellow woman. She dressed into the new clothes, but she was confused about the green shirt that was so large it felt was as if the fabric was swallowing her.

“It’s Beej’s. I told him I was taking one of his as compensation for yours.” Lydia deeply blushed as Ginger explained. She was wearing one of the Captain’s shirts. She could agree with the older woman that it was fair.

The pirate had teared her own shirt, so it only made sense that she should have one of his.

It was still weird to be wearing her captor’s clothes. 

Lydia also figured they would eventually give her a job and she was slightly relieved that she would be under the cook’s hand. She could probably help anyone but to know that she would be with another woman made her feel better. It was also a job could be useful at.

The cooks at her home had been the only ones who would make conversation with her, other than her instructor. She often helped them when she didn’t have lessons.

“Lass, I warn ya though. I got no time to watch ya, nor do I have the patience. I won’t have ya trying to kill yourself while under my watch. I want your word you won’t do that while working for me. If you don’t, then I’ll help get’cha to port, do we have a deal?” Ginger asked with a stern voice and held out her hand.

It was true. Her being in charge of two jobs upon the Kali meant that Ginger wouldn’t be able to watch the Lass, not like Beetlejuice could. Also, if the younger girl was going to be working in the kitchens, there were going to be several knifes that she would have access too. Knifes she could use to end her life.

She had to trust the Lass to not end her life or she was going to have to leave her here under Beej’s hand. 

Lydia thought about it as she looked down to the rough hand of the swashbuckler. She wanted to end her life, but she didn’t want to make things difficult for Ginger. She had been awfully kind to her, and she didn’t deserve to have a hinderance added to her list of chores. Lydia deeply sighed as she let herself agree. She could put off dying until another time. If Ginger also kept her word, unlike the fiendish Captain, then Lydia would be able to be dropped off at port. She could finally have a chance to start over.

“Deal.” Lydia answered as she took Ginger’s hand to shake. The cook gave her a grateful smile and shook their connected hands, sealing their agreement. She’d get the Lass to port whether the Captain liked it or not.

The moved Lydia into a room that was at the back of a galley. It had a small bunk near the floor while the rest of the room was filled with crates and barrels of food contents and gear. It was covered with the galley supplies which they both work to rearrange them within the room.

“Beej made this for me when I first came upon the ship because I was weary sleeping with the men. Then I got to know everyone and got together with Jacques. He and I share a bunk now so there was no use for this. I’m glad we kept it together, it should serve you well.” Ginger explained as the bunk was fully cleared and ready for use.

“I still gotta put ya in irons at night and I’m going to lock the door. It will keep Beej off our backs that I’m still treating ya like a prisoner. Don’t fret too much though, I be the only one with a key to this door so no one will be able to disturb ya here.”

“I understand.” Lydia nodded in accord, as it made sense. She made have a job to keep her out of trouble now, but she was still their prisoner. She was still Beetlejuice’s prize from the Maura. She was lucky that she was being put to work, but she had to remember she wasn’t one of them. 

Not that she wanted to be one of them.

Or could she?

Lydia hid a gasp as that thought entered her mind. What was she thinking? No, she would never be one of these pirates. She didn’t want to be one of them. She just wanted to live out her life on at a new port. She just wanted to start over where she wasn’t an anomaly amongst the normal.

An unknown voice hidden deep in her mind whispered to her that she wasn’t an anomaly upon the Kali.

She ignored it.

~

Beetlejuice first rested most of the afternoon. It was orders from Kidder after all. He was eager to agree on a new destination but even he couldn’t pass up the excuse to have a light mid-day cat nap. He hadn’t gotten much sleep since that hurricane weeks ago. It could never hurt to make sure he was rested.

Once he had woken up once more, late that night, he called for Vince to help him gather his Privateers to in his grand cabin. Monstro, Kidder, Ginger, and his navigator, Dominic, though he liked to be called Doomie, agreed that it was the best bet to make port. They all agreed upon Isle De Pascual. It was close and the Navy weren’t known for pulling into that harbor. It was port town they looked over as it was unimportant to them.

It would do to help the Kali with the repairs, and it would only take a two day’s sail. It would have taken more but the winds were in their favor so they should make it once three moons had passed.

They made final arrangements before calling it a night. It had been settled on what they would replace, which included the cannons that they had lost. That was for the best as they would need those if somehow the Navy had found out it was them that had attacked the Maura. Then the repairs would make sure they could be seaworthy for longer trips, which they favored to shorter meager excursions.

The goods from the Navy supplies would cover the costs well enough plus they still had some goods from the French vessel they could use for trade if needed. It would be best use those as trade for more supplies and just let the treasure from the Maura cover the repairs.

It wouldn’t do to sail with gold and silver anyway. It was too much weight and BJ was one to favor speed over goods. Treasure such as coin was best left on islands to be dug up when needed, not hidden upon ships where any can find it.

Then again not all treasure was silver and gold.

Beej wanted to pull Ginger aside after the others began to file out, but he held his tongue. The Lass was only under the cook’s hand for half a day. He would be playing into the red-dressed pirate’s ideas that he liked the Lass if he asked about her now. He didn’t want to deal with her knowing looks.

He didn’t miss the Lass, nor did he adore her. The old cook was just being a fool.

Or was it that he was the fool for continuing to deny what his crew could see as clear as a cloudless day?

~

Port Aliexis upon Isle De Pascual was a welcomed sight as they pulled up and made anchor at the harbor. The sun was just rising as they tied up their ropes along the docks.

Beetlejuice leaned against the railing watching his crew celebrate and cheer as they walked down the gangplank to head into town. His crew were known for their sea legs but the feel of sand under ones boots always felt good. He was sure his people had missed the pleasures of land without ever wanting to mention it.

A frown settled upon his features as more of his lads left the ship. There was one who should have been the first one to come out from below. He didn’t even see her come out upon the deck. This would have been the perfect chance for the Lass to leave the Kali, so where was she?

Ginger had come upon the Lass’s room once she could get away from her post. It was quicker than she had thought but if the Lass wanted to leave the ship then the red colored pirate would keep her word. Ging would help her find a place to settle and then deal with the Captain’s scorn at another time.

“Lass, are ya up?” The Boatswain asked as she entered the room after unlocking the door. She was met with silence and that didn’t sit right with her. The young girl was usually quick to answer her. Ginger came up to the bunk and her eyes widened at the sight.

The Lass looked ashen and downright miserable upon the bed. She was clutching the pillow so tightly that it appeared to be ripping at the seams. Her face was gleaming with several tears.

“Oh Lass. It’s okay, I’m here.” Ginger rolled up her sleeves, getting right to work and knowing just what to do.

~

“Ginger?” Beetlejuice called out as he noticed his Cook come out upon the main deck. The red coated pirate smirked at him as she made her way towards the captain. She leaned against the railing watching the lads leave the ship.

“You going to join them, sir?” She asked as she saluted to Monstro, who was making his way down the gang plank. He returned the gesture before catching up with Poppy.

“I’ll head out tonight. If Catherine is still running that falling apart bungalow of hers, I’ll head there for a Grog. Now, where be the wee Lass? I had thought she had been running for the hills by now.”

“Aye, I did too, but sadly if we leave here within the next moon the Lass will still be with us. This won’t be the port for her.” 

“Why?” Beej’s voice dropped an octave in worry. He stood straight glancing to the door that Ginger had just come from. When still no black-haired maiden came through it, he shot his gaze back to his Boatswain. 

“It’d be a shark’s week for her captain.” Ginger answered quietly so that those around them wouldn’t hear. She didn’t need to go around telling everyone, but she knew the captain ought to know why his prisoner might not show her face for the next few days.

Beetlejuice’s face fell into a worried frown. He knew what his cook was talking about since he had dealt with these weeks since Ginger had joined his crew. Then again with the repairs and they had already planned to stay for three days at most, the Lass should be fine before that time. 

“You’re always up and about when it comes to yours, why not it be the same for her?” He asked in tight voice.

Ginger threw back her head and laughed joyously out to the clouded sky. She too eased away from the rail as she circled the green haired pirate, patting him upon the shoulder.

“It be different for every women upon this earth, Capt’n. Some of us are able to go about with their lives, others get pains so brutal that we feel as if our bodies are killing us from the inside. I went to her this morning and I knew once I saw her. She says hers are of the violent kind. She most likely won’t be out of her cabin until we’re back out to seas.”

“Is there…” The words seemed to die on the pudgy man’s tongue as he looked to the forecastle’s door. “Can we get her something to ease it?”

“Aww, it’s sweet that you care about her so.” Ging cooed as she gently stroked Beetle’s cheek. She smirked at his annoyed look at what she was implying with her teasing words.

“But you don’t need to fret. I left her with a bota bag of chamomile and ginger tea for the pain. Thankfully that stupid crew of the Maura carried some ‘cause we were out. And I told her she could eat all the leafy green she has access to in that room. I left them by her bed, and I cut her up a few good portions of kiwi as well. That’s all we really can do for her, and to let her rest. I’ll check on her again tonight.” 

“Ya sure it’s okay to leave her alone?” Beej’s voice still sounded unsure and troubled as he asked. Ginger now inwardly smiled as she could hear true concern from her friend. He may deny his feelings until there be a dry day in Davy Jones’ locker, but Ginger knew he was falling for the Lass. He was falling hard. 

“Yes, Beej. I’m sure. I asked her if she wanted me to stay and she said no. I feel it would bother her more if I watched over her like a mother hen. She’ll be fine. Now I’m heading to the generals to see about the supplies, ya good?”

“Yeah…” Beetlejuice called out as he fell back against the rails, crossing his arms over his chest residing to watching his crew work and depart. Ginger gave him one last curious stare before departing from the ship with a satisfied nod. He watched on as more of his crew departed until there were only a mere number of stragglers left.

His thoughts raced with what he should do, even though his traitorous heart knew the answer. He wanted to go see the Lass. He just wanted to make sure with his own eyes that she was alright, but that was foolish. He shouldn’t bother her if she needed rest. Also, to check on her meant he didn’t trust Ginger nor her talents and that was absurd.

He’d trust that ample figured red color loving buccaneer with his own blackened soul.

The spiked green haired pirate finally moved away from the railing making his way to the main deck. It was doing him no good to stay here thinking about it all the live long day. His crew mates were getting the supplies and the upgrades to the Kali in order, so he need not worry about that. He would go and get a meal for himself and get to Catherine’s.

There he could hear the latest gossip about the Caribbean. He might even make poor choices by putting a grog in his plushy tummy earlier than he should.

~

“Captain Beetlejuice, as I live and breath.” The old barrel-chested barmaid announced as Beej walked into the rickey tavern. Several pirates cheered out at the call of his name. He smirked, bowing low causing more cheers and more tankards to lift to the air.

He walked up to Catherine, gently shaking her hand and leaning in to kiss her cheek. “How are ya, Cat? You don’t look a day over your second decade upon this earth?”

The maiden gently smacked his shoulder with a fond roll of her eyes. “Oh, you! Still be a scallywag of a flatter, I see. I appreciate the lie, now go sit down, I’ll be right with ya.”

“Aye, aye.” The soggy captain agreed as he made his way to the bar dropping down upon the closet seat. It had rained when he made his way from the place he had stopped in for a bite before making his way to the tavern.

“So, what be new with ya? Please tell me ya went to Ryan’s place before coming to see me, you look to be skin and bones.” Catherine asked as she came up to him from the other side of the counter passing him a tankard full of his favorite.

“I did. Don’t get me wrong, Ginger can cook to keep us alive but there’s nothing like a meal made fresh.” Beej agreed as he took a swig from the goblet. The dark amber liquid felt good going down his throat.

“That indeed be true. Now, come on, out with it. I saw your ship, you’ve been through some stuff. Tell me the tale.” 

The buccaneer told her everything that had happened to him over the last few months. They talked about the lost during the storm and sinking the slaver ship. She held up her own tankard clinking it with his after hearing that kind of news.

“Good for you, man, any ship that dare claims that their cargo be people have earned a one way to Davy Jones.”

Beej shook his head, a glare settling in his golden eyes. “Nah, not even Davy should have to put up with people like them, but here’s to hoping he makes their afterlives ten times as miserable as they made the lives of their so-called cargo.”

“Aye, cheers to that. Any other news?”

“Um well…just a small thing really…I…” The windblown green haired man didn’t even realize that the blush was beginning to form upon his cheeks. He would play it off as the rum getting to him, but the elder barmaid knew better.

“…I attacked another ship. I was able to blow the Maura to kingdom come. It felt glorious and it came with a good bit of treasure, including a fetching but arduous Lass.”

“Oh, a Lass, you say. Go on.” Cat teased as she couldn’t recall the old buggar ever calling anyone ‘fetching’.

“Well, she…she be stunning maiden with wide round sparkling hazel eyes that change color as the sun hits them. They can’t hide her expressions, you could read her like a book if you gaze at her just enough. Her hair is that the same as a piece of coal. It be just begging ya to run your grimy fingers through it. If her beauty not be enough, she’s got a tongue as sharp as an old sea rover, and got the sword skills to match.”

Cat’s eyes had enlarged at his description, an eyebrow raising in pure curiosity. “She can sword fight?”

“Nearly tanned my hide with my own sword.” Beetlejuice admitted as he slammed his tankard back. “Ya wanna know the worst part, I don’t even know her name. She been lying to me since she came aboard. Hell, ever since I first laid eyes on her. I doubt I’ll ever get to know before she leaves my clutches.”

“Oh, my boy, you have no idea how lucky you be.” Cat giggled before stepping away rushing to the end of the bar. Beej watched her with an interested gleam in his expression. The brown-haired Lass came back to him placing a news paper before him.

“This arrived with a trader just this past morning. Read the main page, I’d think you’d find it be a good read.” The bar maiden had a knowing twinkle to her turquoise eyes, so Beej immediately set his cup aside to read the paper.

The Captain of the Kali wasn’t known for his good handwriting skills, but he could read just as well as the next man. He had spent some time to learn so that he could be able to lead his men without having to rely too much on others.

“‘The Isle of Corona commemorates the loss of the heir of the Charles Deetz. Lydia Deetz, daughter of Governor Charles Deetz, has been confirmed to have been killed upon the massacre of the Navy Frigate the Maura. She be…’ Lydia…Lydia Deetz?” Beetle traced the name upon the page as if he be stroking the Lass herself.

“I got the trader to talk about the news a bit. He says that the only one who really cared about her death was a man named Roger. Roger Duncan, said to be her teacher, wanna guess what he taught her.” Cat questioned, though she could tell the plucky man across from her already knew the answer. 

“No need, I know that name. Roger Duncan was a Navy Admiral, chased from the service for his ideas about equality of gender and race. He was known to pirates as an impossible man to beat with the sword. ‘Best shoot ‘im dead, unless you liked to dance with the devil that day.’ Is what I’ve heard. No wonder, the Lass almost beat me, she was trained by the best.” 

“Best keep her about ya. She could teach your men a new trick or two.” She mused as she moved to take the paper back, but the captain stayed her wrist. He took just the page with the girl’s info upon it, leaving the rest upon the bar.

“Ya lucky I already memorized that page, how can I tell tales of gossip if you steal all my papers?”

“I think it’s only fair that I show the Lass that she missed her own funeral. Can’t wait to see the look on her face. Now, pour me another goblet. I gotta celebrate learning my prisoner’s identity at long last.”

~

He only had two more goblets to warm his bones. He didn’t wish to be too drunk and his warm bunk was calling him. It was also that he wanted to be in his grand cabin when his Boatswain returned to the ship. He had Vince keep watch and to alert him when Ginger arrived.

“What the blazes are ya doing?” The red colored pirate hissed as Beetle pulled her into the grand cabin. He took her over to the table and slapped the page upon the surface, smirking as if a dog had chased his tail and caught it.

“Read this.” He taunted as he pushed the page towards her. She glared at his commanding tone before picking up the page and reading just as he had. He had taught her how to understand the written word after all.

“Lydia…hmm, what a lovely name.”

“Give me the key.” Ginger snapped her gaze to her ship’s leader and her eyes angered deeper.

“No.”

“I order ya to give me the key.” Beej bit out as he came closer to Ging, trying to use his height as an intimidation.

“Order me one more time and I’ll be boiling yar barnacles in our next batch of stew. You can wait to talk to her about this. You put her in my charge, so this is me taking charge of her. Leave her be until she is back on her feet. Now I’m going to a dance in the sheets with my husband, I suggest you visit a bath house or somethin’, ya stink like a batch of three-day old fish.” Ginger growled as she left to head back out to the main deck with a deep roll of her eyes.

She did admit it was nice to know the young girls name at last.

Lydia Deetz, it was a unique yet enticing name. She wondered if she should let the Lass know she knew it or hold her tongue. She might not have to do either. Beej would certainly tell her he had learned her name once she was back out and about. The Lass would know that if Beej knew her name than Ginger would know of her name as well. 

~

They were back out into the open waters within two days and Beej sighed as the spray of the sea felt welcomed against his ashen skin.

He would make sure to not keep his lads from land for too long this time. It was just that the need to be back upon the sea was an itch he needed to calm more than ever. He could understand though it was a tad unfair. Why should he have a woman all to himself upon the seas, while his men had to wait for port?

Not that the woman he wanted had the same wants for him. 

He waited until he heard from the others that Lydia was back to the kitchens. He heard from Vince that she was back to helping chop the veggies keeping up with Ginger. The two of them kept the galley in the best state ever since the ship had been created.

It wasn’t until the night when he decided to pounce. Ginger and the Lass were just retiring for the night. The Boatswain just about to lock her door when he barged past her, picking up the black-haired maiden to throw her over his shoulder.

“Hey! Put me Down!”

“Capt’n, the hell do you-” Beej patted Ging’s cheek as he moved past her.

“I’ll have her returned to ya in the morning, fret not.” When he didn’t hear any more complaints from either, he made his way to his cabin.

Once he entered his room, he smirked as he set her down upon the chest on the left side of the room. Where he had first chained her to the wall. She eyed that wall clasps with disdain before turning her gaze up to him. He pressed her into the Kali’s port side with a victorious grin.

He had her alone at last.

(just imagined it flip and you basically got the scene lolz)

“Was that necessary? The heavens do you want with me that it couldn’t wait for morning?” The Lass sighed as she adjusted her hips upon the chest. It had bumps along it’s top that dug along the back of her thighs unpleasantly.

“In the morning you work for Ginger without so much as a glance at me. Then it’s a repeated cycle. The night is when I can speak with ya freely.” Beej shrugged as he gazed at her, as if he were seeing her for the first time all over again.

It was only a few days but to him it was days too many. He had missed her eyes.

“Fine then, can you state what you want so that I may leave?” She sighed as she tucked her hair back behind her ear, making sure not to graze his arms that were trapping her.

“That eager to be away from me?” He joked with a grin, which grew as she rolled her eyes leaning backwards so that there was a hair of space between the two of them.

“All I’m eager for is my bed, which you wish to keep me from.”

“You’ll get to sleep when we’re finished, then again…” Beej smiled innocently as he was indeed just talking for talking sake now. He glanced at the door that led to his sleeping quarters. She followed his gaze but glared at him as she realized what he was looking at and implying.

“…my cabin is big enough for two, what say you, Lydia?”

He guessed many things of what would happen when he finally revealed his knowledge of her name to her. He expected the situation to go in several ways. What he hadn’t expected was her to punch him. It was just as when she had stabbed him, she punched him hard and with enough force that he stumbled back. 

He cradled his soon to be bruised cheek but was quick to ignore it because Lydia had grabbed one of daggers as she moved away from him. She held it up to her neck as tears filled her eyes. It was also then that he noticed her hand was shaking.

She was scared.

“Wait…” He said as he held up his hands trying to step closer, but she continued to keep a distance from him.

“Don’t!” She barked as she pressed the dagger deeply against her skin.

“Easy!” He said as he made sure not to move. If she cut herself there would be no way to save her. He just had to wait until the right moment so that nothing would further happen. “Lydia, I won’t do…”

“Don’t! Don’t say my name!” Lydia gasped as she glared at him. “I don’t care how you learned my name but I will not let you use it against me! Do you hear me! I will not let you send me back!”

“The hell are you talking about?” Beej asked as he made sure to lock eyes with her to let her know he was listening and just trying to understand.

“Do NOT play me the fool! You know my name now! You know that I’m governor’s daughter! You’re going to write for my ransom, use me for a gain of coin. All your thinking about is that my father is going to pay you for my return. It won’t happen! I won’t let you send me back! I will not go back to that island, to that life!”

“Babes,…listen to me,” Beetle whispered as he chanced a step closer which Lydia jerked away from him but didn’t say anything else. “…I get it, you’d think I do that, but I’m not gonna. I can’t do that.”

“BULLSHIT!” Lydia growled with a crazed anger in her eyes. He watched as she kept the distance between him but never let her eyes fall from his. He still had a chance as long as she looked at him.

“You’re a pirate! Money is all you care about! You would sell me back to my father without so much of a-”

“I can’t do that because you’re dead!” He shouted over her rants. Lydia’s face fell into shock and her eyes dropped to the floor. Her eyes went back and forth as a million and one thoughts raced within her mind.

“Babes,… ” He spoke up again so that she would look back at him. “There’s a paper besides you. Read it and you’ll understand.” 

Lydia eyed him as she moved to the table making sure she didn’t move the knife from her neck. He watched for any opportunity he could find to move closer. She bent over the page and began to read. It was as she was reading the headline, he slowly and silently moved, taking up a position behind her. He quickly disarmed her, but she gave him no fight as he did. The knife dropped from her hand with a simple grip upon her wrist.

It was only then that he noticed the tears were painting her cheeks.

Lydia gasped but she tried to silence it by covering her mouth. She could feel the captain behind her, but she paid him no mind. The words upon the paper sank into her bones giving her the chills. She had wanted to die ever since the pirate captain had captured her. She felt she was able to welcome death.

Then to see her funeral, her own death in the words below. It was shattering, soul destroying. She didn’t know what to feel but she couldn’t stop herself from sobbing in sorrow. Beetlejuice eased his hands upon her shoulders, squeezing them in a form of comfort.

“Lydia….” He spoke into her ear as it didn’t seem she was acknowledging him. “Babes, come on, now. Come back to me, Lydia. You’re not actually dead. It’s alright, you’re alright.”

“The world thinks I am.” Lydia whispered. He cupped her chin, guiding her face up to his gaze.

“Aye, but you’re not. You are in my arms where death won’t touch you.” He assured as he made such a promise. He wouldn’t let her sink to the depths of Davy’s Locker, not if he had any say in the matter.

She listened to his words but turned back to the sheet of written letters. She read more of the article before a deep sigh left her. She heard his promise but even with it all, what was she to do now? If the world thought her passed, could she even live among the commoners now? Would it be harder because everyone knows who she was because of how far this news had traveled? 

And what of her life upon the ship?

“What do you want of me? If you’re not going to use me as a gain, then what do you want?” She asked as she crumpled up the paper in her fists. She couldn’t stand to see it any longer. She turned so that they were facing each other. 

Beetlejuice knew that answer. He was always a man who knew what he wanted. He wanted her. What he wanted to do was toss her up in his arms and sweep her into his sleeping quarters to at last claim this woman for himself.

He wanted her more so than he had wanted anything in his life.

He wanted to carve his very initials upon her soul so that even the gods couldn’t deny him the right to say this woman belonged to him. He wanted to pleasure her to heights unworldly for countless hours until it was so that no woman nor man could touch either of them again.

She would be so overwhelmed with want for him that she wouldn’t dare think of wanting anyone again. He would do the same. He knew if he had her the way he imagined then there would be no others. No one upon this earth would ever compare to Lydia Deetz.

It terrified him.

This life was nothing but unknowns. The main rule of this life was to never get attached. Never bound yourself to one person because in this life you will never know what may happen next. Here he was, though, longing and willing to bound his soul to hers.

Jaysus, he had been prepared to do just that the moment he laid eyes on her.

If anything more, he wanted her to feel the same. He wanted her to feel what he was feeling for her. He desired her to look at him the way he could stare at her for hours on end. It wasn’t to be, though. She didn’t look at him with longing eyes. 

She didn’t ache for him as he suffered for her.

He couldn’t even bring himself to ask if she would ever. Beetlejuice wasn’t good with emotions and now feeling something this deep he didn’t know what to do. He didn’t even want to dare hope that maybe one day they could be together. He couldn’t ask that of her, or more he couldn’t bring himself to ask that of her.

Why would she ever look at him the way he needed her too?

The captain stepped back from their embrace. She watched as he ruffled a hand up into his squid inked roots. He wouldn’t look at her. He suddenly seemed timid and dare she say, shy and…scared.

It was surprising and Lydia found herself wanting to reach out to him, wanting to comfort. She stayed her hand, hiding her startling thoughts. Her eyes stayed upon his face as he finally answered with the only words that seemed right.

“I don’t know, Lass.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this one took a little longer to get out. I couldn't stop writing and don't know what is a good place to stop. Anyway I hope you all have enjoyed! I'm going to try to keep long chapters coming out like this. Please leave a comment if you have liked this story! Tell me what you think! See you all in the next chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is highly unbeta'd for it's 1 am my time so i apologize. i do reread the chapters and fix as i go so i will fix mistakes.  
> also apologies there is no beautiful mocamagical art for this one. there will be one in the next chapter  
> anyway i know you all don't mind too much, i just hope you all enjoy the chapter. this will be the biggest one and we are nearing the end.  
> again enjoy and i wish you all goodnight

The tension upon the ship was unbearable.

What Ginger loved about being on board the Kali, sailing the open seas, was that it was always a fun lively place to call home. When things even went wrong, there was still a happiness among the crew, like after the hurricane for example. When they lost the cannons and took damage, the pirates were still spirited knowing that in days to follow, they would pick themselves back up. That in no time at all everything would be okay.

This, though, this was not okay.

The hostility between the Captain and Lydia was as thick as clam chowder, or pea soup which ever you preferred.

The problem was that Ginger didn’t know who to talk to about it. She worked with Lydia nearly all day and night, but the Lass refused to say a word. She wouldn’t speak about what happened between her and Beej.

The Boatswain didn’t understand it, and it was quickly pissing her off.

The other thing was that she could see that the Captain was trying to bring it up. Whenever he could step away from the tasks he needed to complete, he would hover just out of Lydia’s sight. He would look as if he wanted to talk to her but at the last minute would choose to say nothing.

Lydia could even see his shadow at her door.

Beetlejuice would come to her door just about to knock but would always drop his hand. He would lean against the frame wishing more than anything to open her door. Why was he such a coward? He should talk to her, but the words would always die on his tongue.

They hadn’t talked since that night. They couldn’t go on like this, but he had no ideas on how to move forward.

~

The day was quiet, but it was an eerie one. It was one where you knew something was going to happen. The tension upon board was already high but now everyone was alert. They could all feel it in the air, even Lydia could feel it despite being new to the sea life.

Beetlejuice was at the helm for it was the best way to distract himself. If he only focused on steering the ship, then he wouldn’t bother with the rolling emotions within his heart. He would keep them on the straight and true, while his feelings were left forgotten.

He heard Doomie before he saw him. The man wore metal tipped boots so the sound of him clambering up to the stern-castle deck could be heard all over the ship. The man was just pulling on his signature yellow shirt as he came to stand besides Beej.

He snatched up the spyglass and looked out to the mysterious waters.

“Just as I thought. I could smell it all the way down in the cargo hold. Captain, do ya see it there? Storm, off the starboard bow.”

“Jaysus, not again. Monstro!” Beetle yelled for his first mate who instantly came bounding up to the deck. Monstro quickly took the wheel from his captain, keeping the course. Beej took the spyglass from Doomie and looked for himself.

It was indeed out there. Dark furious clouds out in the vastness, but with the speed the Kali was known for, they would be upon the storm within minutes. The distance they were at now clearly showed that the storm was wide and would stretch for a good few miles.

“We have to go around. I will not risk that storm becoming another hurricane and robbing us of cannons once again.”

“I agree, sir.” Monstro replied but before he could turn the helm, there was screaming from above. The sailor in the crow’s nest was shouting himself hoarse in fright. 

“CAPTAIN!! PORT SIDE, CAPTAIN! ENEMY SHIP ON THE HORIZON!” Jacques hollered out to the heavens as he held up a shaking hand to the direction of the other ship. The lily-livered buccaneer was afraid of his own shadow most days, but he did have the best eyes out of all the crew.

Everyone turned to the other side of the ship and saw what the lad look was pointing at. Beetle held the spy glass back up to his eye. This time it landed on the ship pointing right to them. The figure head that he spotted made a scowl form over his features. It was the shape of a skeleton holding a skull.

“It’s the Bone Banisher. Captain Jesse Germs is chasing us.”

“The hell is that scurvy dog thinking, even when we lost our cannons, we still have more firepower than he could ever hope to have.” Monstro commented as he kept on course since Beej hadn’t given the direction to change it yet.

“Aye, turn starboard, Monstro.” Beej ordered as he tossed the spyglass back to Doomie, then made his way to the railing. He glared down to the ship behind them.

“Are ya sure, Capt’n?” The tan skinned buccaneer asked as he was already turning the ship.

“Yes, I much rather face Mother Nature than deal with a man that’s crazy enough to chase me down. It won’t matter. He has a clipper and will keep up with us. The storm might be a blessing at least. If we have to fight, I’d much rather struggle against him in a storm, where there’s a high chance he can be struck by lightning.”

“Aye, aye, sir.” Monstro chuckled. Beetlejuice called out the orders. They had to prepare for going into the storm and for the fight that was upon them.

The sailors manned their stations. The only sails necessary were let down so that they could make it to the storm. Once the ship was just into the rain the sails were tied down to keep from damage. Ginger came up from below deck to take her position as boatswain. She spotted the enemy ship then was back down the stairs to begin ordering the cannon crew.

Lydia had come up with Ginger and froze as the rain hit her full force. It was so chilling and angry, it immediately soaked into her very soul. She had covered her face from the harsh spray, so she didn’t see that the red colored swashbuckler had gone back downstairs. Lydia yelled out for her friend. There was no response, but she jumped when something suddenly grabbed onto her wrist.

“Come with me.” Beej called out over the downpour before dragging Lydia to the quarter deck. She tumbled on the slippery wood and pulled against him as he took her into his grand cabin. He quickly put one iron around her ankle before he stood back up to gaze at her eyes.

“Stay her-”

“I can fight and hel-.”

“I don’t have time to argue with you, Lydia!” Beetle shouted over her. He wanted to cup her face. He knew there might be a chance that this could be the last time he would get to touch her. He only gazed at her and then moved back to the door. “Stay in here and stay down.”

He was gone, slamming the door closed. Once he was back to the middle of the quarter deck, the Bone Banisher was just nudging along their port broadside. He could see the other crew cheering and chanting insults preparing to board the Kali.

Captain Germs came up to his own railing looking about the ship’s decks. Once his eyes landed on Beetlejuice a sickening smile curved upon his face. He unsheathed his sword howling out to the raining clouds above him. Then as if he had planned it, lighting split the sky behind him. The Kail captain rolled his eyes in annoyance.

The man was one for flashiness. 

“Men!” Beetle drew his own sword pointing it right at Germs’ very skinny head. “Bring me that bastard’s skull!”

The battle erupted following the Captain’s orders. The Kali’s crew stormed upon the Bone Banisher within minutes instantly overwhelming the men. The opposing crew that made it to the Kali’s decks were quickly killed or in a fight that they will admittedly lose. The ships ceased cannon fire since they were side by side now. The Kali crew that had manned the cannons came up from below and joined the fight.

Beetlejuice had just cut down a man when his saber was met with a new one. This one had a skull as the hilt. He looked up, his eyes meeting with Germ’s jeweled green eyes. He growled as they began their dance and their swords clashed just as loud as the thunder.

The battle around them was beginning to lessen for Beetle’s crew were twice the size of the Bone Banisher’s. The captains weren’t paying attention for they were too lost in their own fight. Beetlejuice was overpowering Germs in some terms. Then in others Jesse had a crazed style that the green haired pirate couldn’t keep up with.

“The hell do you think you’re doing, Germs!” Beej finally barked as their swords met once again. “You seriously think you’ll win this.”

“I got paid big to kill you, Shoggoth!” Jesse cackled as he swiped his sword for Beej’s arm, yet it was effortlessly blocked. “I either kill you here or die a rich man! I call that a grand old da-”

Beetlejuice ran his sword through the captain before he could finish his words. He had been done listening to the mad man before he even opened his mouth. The Bone Banisher Captain’s eyes drained of life and his body slumped upon the steel.

The lifeless body fell off of Beej’s sword as he heard the scream. He whipped around instantly looking about to find the source of the high-pitched yell. Among the chaos upon the deck, pirate killing pirate, the storm pouring down upon them all, he finally saw them. Some nobody enemy pirate had his own prisoner over his own shoulder making a run for it.

Oh no they don’t, not if he had anything to say about it!

~

As Lydia was left alone, she instantly brought a hand up into her hair. At the last port, Ginger had managed to gather some pins for their hair. She said it was best to keep their hair up and out of their faces when they cooked the meals, so she always stocked up on hair pins from ports. Lydia grabbed one from her hair and brought it down to her ankle. It took a minute and with a slight struggle the chains at last clattered to the floor.

She had to at least get out of the lock. If the enemy came in here, she had to be able to defend herself.

She waited for a moment before she moved over to the door. It couldn’t hurt to see how the battle was going. She knew that the Kali crew had to be winning or she would have been discovered by now.

“Just a look, it’ll be alright.” She didn’t know why she was so frightened, but she steeled herself as she opened the door. The band of men from the Kali were tearing down their opponents left and right. There was so much blood spilled upon the wooden deck. What wasn’t covered with blood was covered in bodies in its stead.

“Please, no!” She heard and she snapped her head to the direction of the voice. Vince was being chased by an enemy man. Lydia acted before she could think of what she was doing.

The man was towering over Vince, who had tripped from his own two feet. The pirate was raising his sword to the air about to stab the young crewman to death. Lydia growled as she slammed her body into the man’s, toppling them both to the ground.

“Miss Lydia!” Vince gasped as he scurried to her side. He quickly got them to their feet and Lydia stood protectively in front of him.

“Get out of here, Vince. Go!” Lyds instructed as she stared down the other buccaneer, who was raising to his own feet. Vince reluctantly moved back before rushing across the deck. He had to get help.

Miss Lydia had just saved his life, he had to return the favor.

The brown-haired pirate across the way was looking at her with a curious look. He studied her face before realization settled in his eyes. He picked up his sword and smirked as he advanced towards her.

“You’re not part of the crew.” He taunted as if he had figured out a wonderful surprise. Lydia readied herself as she knew she didn’t have a weapon. Vince hadn’t dropped one so she was defenseless.

Well, not defenseless necessarily.

She just had to hope that the man was incompetent with a sword. She hadn’t heard of many pirates that couldn’t handle a sword properly, but she had to hope. He may be overconfident, or she could over-power him. If not, then she would just have to keep him distracted until someone saw them fighting.

The nameless opponent swiped his sword for her shoulder, but she dodged easily. His footing was wobbly because he was most likely intoxicated. He had one too many knowing this was going to be his last fight of his life. It could also be the wet wooden deck.

It wasn’t doing Lydia any favors either. She couldn’t get a solid stance.

The pirate laughed as he slashed his weapon towards her again, but Lydia was prepared. She dodged once again and grabbed the back of the sword. He hadn’t expected that as by the look of his widened eyes.

Lydia was the one to chortle now as she pulled the pirate’s cutlass out of his own hands and threw it overboard. 

She only realized a second too late how stupid that was. She should have kept the sword in her hand and killed the man. She had watched the sword go over the ship’s rail and dread filled her face. She had literally just thrown away her chance to win this fight.

She didn’t get a moment to think of it any longer for the man had advanced on her, punching her sound against her cheek. He had taken advantage of her not paying attention. He was also angered that this pathetic lass had just disarmed him like a fool. His fist hit her skin relentlessly and she fell to the deck.

“You’ll pay for that, Lass!” He roared as he picked her up, throwing her over his shoulder. He turned about as she screamed out and made a dash for the Bone Banisher. The Lass would compensate him for that sword, and she would do so with her body. 

~

Beej grabbed his second sword from his belt and made a beeline to the pirate that was carrying the nobleman’s daughter. He killed countless pirates that got in his way and in no time at all, he was coming up right behind the bastard.

“Alex, behind you!” Some other pirate yelled out over the storm and it was loud enough for the man he was pursuing to hear. It was also too late. Beetlejuice had stuck his blade out to the man’s, presumably named Alex, neck. His glare was colder than the rain that fell down upon them all. 

“Put her down. NOW!” Beetlejuice yelled as he took a moment to catch Lydia’s eyes before looking once again at the foe. Lydia’s eyes widened as she saw the captain come to her rescue. What was he doing? Why he was coming after her when there was a far more important battle happening around him.

Alex only laughed like a mad man as he hauled his prize off his shoulder. He moved to hold her in two arms above his head. The pirate knew when he was defeated but that didn’t mean he couldn’t take the prize from the pirate across from him. If this bitch was going to cost him his life, then he would make sure he took her with him.

“Very poor choice of words.” Alex taunted. Beej watched, as if in slow motion, as the pirate threw the girl overboard. It was only a moment longer of slow motion, then the earth overturned in fast forward. In seconds flat, Beetlejuice drove his scabbard through the pirate’s chest and was over the railing, diving into the raging ocean.

“Captain!” He heard before his head was under water. He had to find her. He would not lose her, at least not now and certainly not like this. He looked all around him and by some miracle he finally saw her. The moon glinted on her necklace. It was a silver coin choker from Ginger and it was just enough for him to find her location. He grabbed her close to his chest and kicked up to the surface.

He got her, now came the hard part, getting back upon the ship.

“I got you, Lyds. Stay with me! Ya hear me! Stay with me now! Come on!” He shouted over the thunder clashing above them. Then with one arm he started to paddle to the ship. If he could just hold onto the ship, then they had a chance. His other arm was secure around her. He wouldn’t let go of her for anything.

It was another miracle, or for some reason some deity was finally being merciful with him, because he had managed to make it to the hull. There had to be something he could hold onto. The ladder had to be close or maybe a random hanging chain. They couldn’t stay like this forever! They could be swept under the ship and then they would both be lost to Davy Jones locker.  
  
“Captain! Captain, up here!” Jacques yelled as he threw a rope down to his leader, who was quick to grab on.

“Good man, now get us out of here!”  
  
“Come on, men, pull!” Jacques instructed as he and several members of the crew pulled their fellow crew mates back up to safety. It took a while, but the Kali gang managed it and soon their Captain was back upon the deck with his prisoner besides him.  
  
“Captain.” Beetlejuice heard his name from several members of his crew, but he just held up his hand to silence them. He was coughing up water and trying to catch his breath. There was silence next to him, that wasn’t right. It was then he realized besides him that Lydia had not moved.

“Save her! Lydia! Save her!” He coughed as he tried to suck in a lung of air.

“Move it!” Ginger dove through the crowd and fell over the unconscious girl. She listened for a heartbeat and even though it was faint, it was there. She immediately started mouth to mouth and compressions upon the girl’s chest.

“Come on, girl! Come back to us! Come on!” Ginger swore as she didn’t stop. The fancy girl wasn’t out for long, she would not die, not if Ginger could help it. Just as the woman pirate was about to do mouth to mouth once more, Lydia spat up water into her mouth. She fell upon her side to cough up the remaining salt water. 

“Good girl, you’re alright. Thank gawd!” Ginger said as she patted the gasping Lass’s back. She wiped her mouth and moved to stand up as the green haired buccaneer quickly took her place. Beetlejuice was swift to pick up the black-haired prisoner into his arms, almost as if he were cradling her.

“Report.” He commanded as he turned and finally took in the state of the deck.

“Capn’, all the enemy have been captured and we have minimal damage. We lost Brandon, Robert, and Kelvin.” Monstro cited as he gestured to the line of opposing pirates. They were tied up and in various states of acceptance of defeat. They’re idiot captain had led them to slaughter.

Beetlejuice glared at them all before he growled and hugged Lydia closer to him.

“Kill all of them. I don’t want a single one to live to see the sun again. Raid their ship, gather anything valuable, then burn it. The Bone Banisher will never sail again! I’m going to my cabin. Monstro, Ginger, and Doomie, you know the orders and the course, don’t disrupt me until sunrise tomorrow.”

“Aye, Capn’.” The First Mate and the Boatswain agreed and the crew parted as Beetle made his way to his room. He could certainly trust his lads to do their tasks and have them underway once again. They could all run the ship without him for he wouldn’t be able to focus. He had to take care of himself and the Lass who was shivering in his arms.

He came into his room and quickly set Lydia upon his bed. He turned to lock his door, not only to insure they weren’t disturbed but so she couldn’t get away if she gained the strength to move. He then moved before her and Beej took hold of her shirt beginning to pull it over her head.

Lydia jerked out of his hands using whatever strength she could spare to fight him. She was too cold and the shock of falling into the ocean had exhausted her so she couldn’t fully fight his advances. It was enough of a struggle though that it had pissed the captain off.

Beetle growled out as he captured her hands before pushing her back. She fell under him and he loomed over her. He used his trembling fingers to pin her arms to the bed and used his soaking weight to keep her from jerking away further.

“KNOCK It off! You’ll die if you stay in those clothes. I’m taking them off whether you like it or not!” He bit out as he pulled the rest of the clothes off of her frame, throwing them to a random corner of his room.

Lydia covered her chest as best as she could with her shaking arms. She also turned while squeezing her eyes closed for Beetle had reached for his own shirt. He pulled the sopping fabric from his skin with his own grunt of exhaustion.

It was understandable. If she could die from the rain drenched clothes, then so could Beetlejuice. If he was stubborn about her dying, then she was sure he was just as stubborn about losing his own life.

Once all of his clothes were off, he arranged the two of them so that they were flush together and both under every wool blanket he owned. It wasn’t perfect but they’re body heat and the wool would do its job to keep them alive. The stupid girl was still struggling against him and trying to move to the other side of the bed. His arms were wrapped fully around her waist and he hooked his leg over hers to keep her as close as he could.

“Stop fighting me!” He barked as she tried to pinch the arms that were holding her.

“Let go of me! You damned bastard! You’re smothering me!” Lydia growled as she continued to twist and turn to loosen his hold. He only tightened his grip and pulled her closer.

“I’m serious, Lyds. Quit it! You want to freeze to death? ‘Cause I ain’t going out like that! You can spend one night in my arms and then go back to hating me in the morning. But for now, you better fucking lie still or I’m going to knock ya out.” Beej threatened as his hold didn’t waver. It took a second longer but eventually the Lass did settle her fidgeting. She was pushing against his arms as much as she could but at least she was no longer thrashing around.

They might actually be able to get some sleep if she continued to stay still like this.

‘I don’t hate you.’ The Lass thought but didn’t speak it as she tugged the blankets tighter around her shivering body. She didn’t want to let it out that she hadn’t hated Beetlejuice since the night he cheated at their sword fight. 

Lydia could admit that his body was warm. After being in that freezing rain and ocean, her body’s instincts were looking for any warmth it could find. Sadly, that was the full body of the captain. The bare body of the captain that was flush with her own naked body.

She had never had a man’s body touch her like his was now. She bit her lip as she thought that despite the warmth being here still made her uncomfortable. She didn’t want to be here. She shouldn’t have to be in this bed with him now. She had finally been able to die. When that pirate had thrown her overboard, she had been scared but she was also so happy. Death had finally been within her grasp.

“This wouldn’t have happened if you had just let me die.” She rumbled into the wool blanket.

A chill flowed under her skin and she shuddered. Beetlejuice rolled his eyes but suddenly his hand rightly smacked her thigh. Lydia jumped as his palm landed upon her skin.

“What the hel-”

“No, this wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t try to escape!” Beetle cut her off as he growled. He gripped her shoulder and then turned her over, while pulling her to him once again. Now they were chest to nude chest. He hid a smirk as her cheeks turned rosy at their new positions.

“You came out of my cabin when I explicitly told you not to. That’s the only way those idiots could have seen you. Ya know what happens to prisoners who don’t comply with order, Lyds. They get whipped! I should give you 40 lashes for putting us in danger like that! Is that what you want, Lyds? I bet you never even felt your daddy’s belt against your backside. I can only imagine what your back would look like bleeding and torn open from my hand.”

Lydia beat her palms weakly against his chest, trying to put distance between them even if it was just a couple of inches.

“I wasn’t trying to escape! I went out on the deck to help! If I didn’t Vince would be dead! And I didn’t fucking ask you to rescue me, you should have just let me die!” 

“I get to decide when you die, brat! You’re worth more to me alive than dead!”

“You are a Fucking liar! We both know I’m damned worthless to you! Why would you save someone who was worthless to you!” Lydia was glaring at him now and had smacked his shoulder. Beetle hissed as he captured her arms once again then turned them both.

He trapped her against the mattress once again but he was thankful that this time she was warmer. Them lying together was working even though she was fighting against him every minute. He was getting tired of it.

“Lyds, I’m a pirate, nothing is worthless to me! And you aren’t damn getting it, do you realize how fucking lucky you are?

“What the hell is lucky about any this?” Lydia barked as she continued to glare up at him. Her cheeks were now fully red, and Beej wanted nothing more than to lean down and kiss those quivering lips of hers. He had to make her understand her situation first. Maybe if he got through her thick skull, he could get to kiss her sooner rather than later.

“Wake up, Babes, and smell the opportunities! The world thinks you’re dead. That wouldn’t mean anything to some but you’re different. You were taught to survive! You know more skills than most women will ever learn in their lifetimes. You can be anyone now. I can drop ya off somewhere and you can start over. Or…”

“…Or?” Lydia repeated only to gasp as Beej was leaning closer to her. He stared deeply into her eyes, letting her know exactly what he was going to do. His golden gaze glinted in the candlelight before they closed. He slowed but continued leaning closer and closer to her. Lydia’s eyes fell as well and only moments later their lips were connected in a kiss. 

She knew that this would eventually happen. She knew Beej would come onto her. She had even let the idea that he would rape her pass her thoughts during her first night on the ship. She never suspected that when he kissed her it would be as gentle as he was now.

His lips were surprisingly soft. She figured they would feel weird being chapped from being out in the sun most of the day. It didn’t feel weird other than his beard tickling along her chin. He took his time to just let their lips explore one another but he did take advantage when her mouth fell in a gasp. He let his tongue invade past her lips and began to dance his tongue with hers. For whatever reason, she let it happen.

She blushed deeper as she quickly realized she was joining him in their motions.

“Lydia.” He gulped as she moaned out when he pulled away. They took a moment to gather air back in their lungs before they dove for one another again.

Later she could tell herself that she was too weak from almost drowning to fight him in this moment. She knew it would be a lie and so would Beej if she ever brought it up to him. She wasn’t weak. She didn’t even want to fight him. She hated to admit it, but this felt amazing. Him kissing her like this caused her body to shiver and it was finally not because of the cold.

It was because he was obviously experienced in what he was doing. His tongue played with her own in ways she didn’t know was possible. He kept her wrists pinned above her head, but he squeezed her hands in just the right ways that felt pleasurable. His legs also moved along her lower body sending electricity under the skin of her thighs. Her heart was pounding, and her breath was hitching and panting just as much as when she had been pulled back upon the deck.

“Or…stay here and become mine.” He whispered after pulling away from their kiss. He was panting just as much as she was. She could feel what the kiss had done to him. It was pressing heavily against her hip. He was using his own hips to keep her from moving out from under him.

“Wh-what!” She gasped as what he said finally registered in her debauched mind. Her eyes widened in surprise and her breath caught in her throat. He couldn’t be serious?

“Stay on the ship. Become part of the crew, stay with us. Be my girl and we can rule the seas together. Can’t ya imagine it, Lyds? We can go anywhere. You spent time with the Royal Navy. You can help us stay away from their ships. I can continue to teach ya how to sword fight. We’d be the most feared partners of the seven seas!” 

It was so tempting. The sea was freedom. They would always be chased for being pirates but it was a life that would never ask anything of her. She could hold a sword until her dying breath. The crew would never look at her as if she was an anomaly because she would be one of them. 

She could even help them because she had skills. Her knowledge of the sword was encouraged here instead of frowned upon like it would be on land. She wanted to say yes. She wanted to agree so badly, but she couldn’t. She shouldn’t stay here. 

“No…” She whispered as she finally looked away, closing off her body from him. Beetle would never admit it, but his heart seized as if someone had stabbed him. He didn’t understand it. It hurt that she didn’t want to be with him. He was offering her the world and she might as well have just spat back in his face.

“Is it…” He steeled his voice so that neither of them would know how much hurt was in his words. “Is it me?”

She instantly shook her head and looked back up at him with tears forming in her eyes. It should be because of him. It should be because he was a pirate, a man who was nothing more than a scoundrel. It wasn’t that though. She knew he was so much more than that.

He was the best of men she had ever met, would ever meet.

Beetle looked down at her and studied her face. It took a moment but when he found what he was looking for he dolefully sighed. He rolled so that he was once again besides her and settled deep into the blankets. He still had an arm secured around her waist but otherwise he gave her space.

“Get some sleep, Lass.” He managed to murmur as he watched her turn away from him. She wasn’t wiggling against him any longer just settled down with her back to him. It was alright for he no longer wanted to fight about it. They needed to sleep and to regain their strength. He could bring this back up after they got some sleep.

He had put out there that he wanted her to stay, and she had practically admitted that she didn’t dislike him so they could talk about this again later. He would get her to agree to stay, he just hoped it was sooner other than later.

~

The following days neither of the two brought it up. It had gone back to just as it had before the attack. The two avoided the other and when they finally got the courage to be together, no words were shared. They just stared longingly at each other then moved on to their chores.

It wasn’t just Ginger who was sick of it now. The entire crew were all tired of it. It was a week of silence from the two idiots before Lydia spoke up while they were preparing dinner.

“Ginger?” Lydia whispered as she paused from chopping the carrots for the stew.

“Yep?” The Boatswain replied as she took the moment to turn from the pots and give the lass her attention. Lydia faced her and leaned against the counter. She crossed her arms over her chest and sighed woefully.

“I…I hope you will keep your part of the deal. Can you get me to a port?” The Lass looked up at her with saddened eyes and her lip bitten. Ginger cursed and ran a hand over her face.

She looked back to Lydia and searched her face. She should have known that the Lass would ask to leave the ship. The days that had passed had the Lass falling deeper into sadness. The two were too scared, or too dumb, to talk about what was bothering them. It made sense that Lydia would choose to run from the problem.

Maybe it was for the best.

Beetlejuice wouldn’t admit his feelings for the girl and then Lydia was too scared. She was afraid that this ship wasn’t for her. If distance would show them that they needed each other, then Ginger could provide it. If the red colored buccaneer announced to the others that Lydia was leaving, then Beetle would know. If he knew she was leaving it may be just enough for him to finally speak up. It could be what was needed to get the two to talk at last, then this tension could finally end.

The pirate nodded as she locked eyes with the younger woman. “You really want off?”

“…ye-…yeah…”

She was hesitating which was good. It meant somewhere in her she wanted to stay. Ginger nodded again and stepped closer to Lydia. She tucked a black hair behind Lyds’s ear before stroking her face to hold it in her palm.

“If it’s really what you want then I’ll keep my word.” She agreed as she gazed into the Lass’s hazel eyes. “Can you give me a day to get everything together?”

Lydia only nodded in response then brought up her hand, twisting her fingers with Ginger’s. She leaned into the touch taking comfort in the feel of the warm palm against her. She would miss the old cook. Ginger had become a mother figure for her. She’d never replace Lydia’s real mother, but she at least never tried to. She just cared about Lydia and wished her the best just as Lyds felt the same for Ging.

She cared for them all. She would never wish for the Navy to capture this ship or this crew to be killed. They had become like a family. They were a family before her, but they opened up their arms to her, accepted her without a second thought. It was wonderful to be upon the ship and sail with them all.

Well, almost all of them.

No, she liked being in the company of all the crew but with Beetlejuice it was different. It was a million and one new feelings that she couldn’t even begin to understand. She went back to the vegetables, so she could hide within herself for she knew exactly what it all meant. 

She had read enough novels to know what she was experiencing. She just never figured it would ever happen to her.

Once she was off the ship, she was sure that all these strange and unusual emotions would leave her. She would be off the ship and start over. She would get settled into the port and no longer think of the freedom the ocean offered her. The liberty of sailing with the Kali.

No! No more sailing, no more pirates, no more captain’s with hauntingly gorgeous eyes. 

She nearly stabbed herself as she stamped those feelings down, way down to the infinite bottom of the seas. She was not in love with Beetlejuice! It didn’t matter for he wasn’t in love with her. He made it very clear that he only wanted her to stay for her skills and knowledge.

They didn’t care for each other so there was no reason for her to stay. They would be perfectly fine when the ocean was between them. She bit her lip until it bled as she repeated the lie all through the night.

~

“Miss Lydia?” Vince spoke up as he came up to the Lass the following day. Lydia had just left the galley having cleaned it up for the night. Ginger had left early saying she would call for Lyds later that evening so it must be time. Vince must be coming to get her.

“Ginger want me?” Lydia asked as she gave Vince a gentle smile. He nodded and gestured for her to follow. He could have just told her where the Boatswain was, but he wished to talk to her. Lydia walked with him back along into the galley so that they may go up the stairs to the main level of the ship.

“Miss Lydia I…” Vince spoke up once they came out to the weather deck. “I wished to thank you…you didn’t have to save me. You were so brave crashing into that horrible man like that. Then he dared tried to kill you. You saved my life and I have no way to thank you.”

“You’re saying it now.” Lydia replied sweetly as she touched his shoulder. She hadn’t done it so that he would feel indebted to her. She had just done it because she didn’t wish to watch any member of the Kali die. She was sure if he had the strength, he would have done the same for her.

“I’m alright, Vince and you’re welcome. I’m glad you’re alright.”

“I am the one who is happy that you are alive, Miss Lydia. I still don’t feel it is enough but again thank you. Not many here would have saved me, I am just the lowly powder monkey after all.”

“I think you’re wrong. They might not always show it, but I can see you’re part of the family here. In their own way, they would protect you just as you would do so for them if you can.” She patted him for comfort as they came to the uppermost deck of the Kali. Ginger and Doomie were standing at a table waiting for the two.

Vince smiled as a final response then excused himself back from the space. This wasn’t for him and he didn’t wish to stick around to hear the others’ conversation. He hated knowing this might be the last few days Lydia would be on the ship. 

He didn’t wish to lose her friendship.

“Hi, hun.”

“Miss Lydia.” The Boatswain and the Navigator greeted as she joined them.

“Good evening.” Lydia replied as she stood before the desk looking to them both before down to the table.

“It finally be a clear one.” Ginger nodded as she came up to Lydia’s left.

“Aye, good weather should be with us the next few days. Clear skies for pleasant sailing depending on how far you wish to go, Lass.” Doomie added as he stood on the other side of the table gesturing to the map on the surface.

The map covered the full tabletop, and one could tell it was well taken care of. It was most likely the map they relied on the most so it made sense that all of them did what they could to keep this parchment in tip top shape. It had several marks upon it and Lydia took time to take them all in. Ginger lent down besides her and pointed to one of the islands with a black line below it.

“I marked islands that we know are friendly to our kind with the black. I’m sure you know more than we do where the Navy is taking up residents so I couldn’t be sure which ones to mark.” She explained while Lydia nodded in understanding.

“I only know rumors. The navy talked to my father a lot but not enough that I would be able to recall correct details. I can say for sure Isle De Sureo , Garsea, and Justus are not safe for I or you all. These others I don’t recall the Navy men who came to our house mentioning anything about them. Then again in a few years where exactly can we really say it will be safe.” The ex-governor’s daughter admitted as she sighed deeply. 

In time, the armies of the countries would storm these islands and kill every one who sailed under a black flag. No where would be safe for any of them. They all knew it and it haunted all their thoughts.

Ginger touched her shoulder with a gentle squeeze. “We can’t think about that now. It would do us no good. Now, back to the here and now, where do you wish to go?”

“We be around here, Miss, if that’d help ya figure out where we are.” Doomie added as he pointed to the map.

She stayed silent for a moment longer taking in where they were and what was safe for now. There was one island that she kept landing her eyes on. After the fourth time she figured there must be the one. It was calling to her for a reason or it was just that her mind had already decided that it would be the island of choice.

She pointed to the spot on the map and looked to the two others. “What can be said about Isle De Victoria?”

“It’s a good town, growing with markets but not much presence of the East India Trading Company or the Royal Navy.” The navigator commented as he thought about the facts they had on the island.

“Aye.” Ginger agreed as she crossed her arms over her rounded chest. “Pirates are accepted there because they are good for business and trade. I got a few contacts in port that owe me favors. I can think of one in particular who would be able to take ya in for work. You can collect some coin there and then move on when you wish too or stay for the rest of yer days.”

“Then I think it’s Victoria that we can all agree on.” Lydia settled as she leaned back to her full height. It wasn’t much for she just came to Ginger’s shoulders. It didn’t bother her too much for there were several other pirates on board that were shorter than her.

“Sounds good. It should only take us three days to arrive. I’ll go and tell Monstro the new course, good night dear Lasses.” Doomie wished the lady’s farewell. He made his way down into the navigation room to make a copy of the new directions to hand them to the First mate.

Once the two were alone Ginger gathered the map from the table. Lydia watched as she carefully folded the treasured map with care. She then made to hold it with a firm hand so that it wouldn’t blow away to be lost to sea.

“Shall we retire to bed?” Ging questioned with a satisfied smile. She was still sad that the younger Lass wished to leave, but she couldn’t stop Lydia. She could only feel better knowing that the coal haired girl was in a safe port.

“Yes, please.” Lydia agreed with a grateful smile before she moved over to the ladder. She wanted to make sure she went down first so that she could catch Ging if needed.

When the deck was empty once again, golden eyes had hardened in anguish. No one had looked up to the mizzen mast rigging. If they had, they would have noticed that Beetlejuice had seen and heard their every word.

~

It had been another long day of working the galley and Lydia had been all too happy to fall upon her lumpy mattress. It was the last night she could call this bunk her own. It was nowhere near as comfy as the bed she had at home, but it was hers. She had come to like it and now it would no longer comfort her at night. They would be pulling into the seaport at Isle De Victoria tomorrow around midmorning.

She would have to leave tomorrow.

That wasn’t right and she knew that. She didn’t have to get off the ship. She could go to Ginger tonight and just tell them to keep sailing. She didn’t have to step a foot off the Kali even if they did still continue on course tonight.

No, she would get off the ship and she would settle into town. She would start over her life and would no longer think of the family she had made. She hated how that lie tasted on her tongue. It wasn’t true at all. She knew better than to think that she wouldn’t think of these people who she had come to know.

She would often think of Ginger and miss her dearly. The old cook was her adoptive mother and older sister that she never had all rolled into one. Ging wouldn’t hesitate to put Lyds over her knee for disrespect but then would turn around and tease her lovingly. She would miss sharing tea with Vince and talking about history. He shared with her how he had been a librarian before being chased from his town.

She would miss how Poppy would still grumble about her taking one of his swords and then would fuss that it looked better with her than it ever would with him. She would miss Monstro’s ghost stories he would boisterously tell during dinner times. The First Mate knew several tales that would send shivers quivering along the spine.

She would miss them all. She would even miss…

“Go to sleep, Lyds.” She told herself as she didn’t finish the notion. She curled around her pillow and deeply sighed as she settled her thoughts. She just needed sleep especially since she had to be up early to disembark.

She curled up in her bed and drifted off as her thoughts calmed like the waves carrying the ship to her new home. It wasn’t long of undisturbed sleep before Lydia jerked awake. She had always been a light sleeper. It never took much, nearly even a loud breath would wake her. The arm wrapping around her waist made her eyes snap open.

She hadn’t been locking her door at night. Ginger had given the key saying she trusted her to lock herself up at night. She had at first but then she had gotten to not doing so. She hadn’t even thought of doing so tonight since this would be her last few hours upon the ship.

She hadn’t heard her door open, but she knew this arm that was now secure around her. She had slept a full night with his appendage attached to her not so long ago. She sighed as she fell back against her pillow. There would be no use to move his arm, so she didn’t. Beetlejuice wouldn’t move it even if she asked.

“Why are you here?” Lydia complained out to the darkness. The arm tightened around her middle and lips brushed against her ear as the captain flushed his body to her smaller frame. He arranged himself so that one arm was secure upon her while the other acted as his own pillow. He took a moment to bury his nose along her blackened locks inhaling her scent. He wished more than anything it would infuse into his very bones so that he never forgot it.

“You’re leaving tomorrow.” Beetle stated as he pulled back just enough to talk.

She knew he would know. There wouldn’t be anyway to keep him from knowing. He was the captain and would know what would be happening upon his own ship. It didn’t surprise her that he knew what was going on. She simply nodded, feeling his breath against her neck. 

“Yes.” Lydia answered quietly. She couldn’t imagine what he was thinking right now. Truthfully, she was just an imbroglio mess besides him and wished him to leave.

“Everyone leaves me.” He admitted out into the space between them. He sighed deeply and squeezed her comfortingly. Lyds couldn’t tell if it was comfort for her or for him. She found herself moving her hand and twirling her fingers with the ones that were settled against her stomach.

“My town suffered a plague. The mayor wrote to the royal court for help. They politely told us to die quickly so that the navy could blow our town off the face of the earth. One by one everyone died. My father. My mother. My sweet little sister. Everyone in the town. Everyone…everyone died but me. I don’t know why. I don’t care. I was left all alone. I left just as the ships arrived on the horizon. I watched the only place I had ever known be hit with cannon fire over and over again until there was a crater in the soil. I was just a kid and I had lost everything.”

Lydia held in a sob as she clutched his hand. 

“I was like you, Lyds. I stowed away on the first ship I laid eyes on. I learned to sail. I found people who needed me. I made a new family. I made a new home.” Beetle whispered as he found the story falling from his loose lips. He shouldn’t be telling her this. He didn’t want her to stay because she felt sorry for him.

“And then I found you. Or you found me or…” He moved them so that she now was facing him. They could barely see each other but Lydia knew he was looking right into her eyes. She leaned into his hand that he placed against her cheek. He moved so that his nose nudged along hers.

“…we found each other.”

She understood why he was saying this. She was leaving no matter what he confessed. In a few hours she would be gone but here he was confessing to her in their last few moments together. He was trying to get her to stay but she wouldn’t be swayed.

“I found someone who didn’t look at me as if I was a monster. I found others who knew I wasn’t an anomaly disrupting the normal life, I was just a lass. I found a way to start over through them. That’s what I’m doing. Tomorrow when I’m gone, you’ll sail away on your home and I will have at last found mine.” Lydia turned again in his arms and closed her eyes.

There was nothing more to say. They would make port and she would walk from the ship to a new life. Not even the heavens would change it. Beetlejuice could not convince her mind otherwise.

“Good night, captain.” 

Beetlejuice wanted to argue further but he knew there was no point. He had bared his heart to her and still nothing. He didn’t hope that his pity story would be the reason she stayed. It had done no good to be honest with her. He was still losing her. He would still be one family member short come next night.

He curled along her body and pressed a single kiss to her cheek. “Good night, Lass.”

~

Beetlejuice woke up with nothing in his arms. There was some sunlight shining into the room, and he knew he was alone. He looked to the spot where Lydia had laid besides him feeling her warmth.

“No.”

He jumped from the bed and rushed to the decks. She had to have just left the bed. He wouldn’t let her go just like that. He would die if that was how they parted.

There was a group gathered upon the weathered deck. The main crew that had made her feel welcomed were in a circle around her. Ginger stood upon the gang plank that was attached to the dock. She would walk Lydia into the town and get her settled. Lydia stood amongst the lads of the Kali wishing them all a final goodbye. Vince was on the left side of the group loudly sobbing and Poppy was standing besides him, silent tears rolling down his own cheeks.

Lydia was just releasing Monstro from a hug as Beetle came out from below. They didn’t notice him, and he watched as she said farewells to Doomie and Kidder next. They both looked heartbroken that she was leaving them and together they moved in for an embrace. She smiled at them both once she had pulled away, but it fell as her eyes landed on Beetlejuice.

The group parted as they all too noticed the green haired leader. He stood before her, his eyes piercing into her very soul. She had dared to leave without saying good-bye to him. It angered him but he calmed his temper as he longingly stared at her in the rising sunlight. Lydia was gazing at him too. The sun was hitting his frame as it came up over the horizon. His eyes sparkled when the first beams hit them, and she bit her lip at the sight.

He was beautiful.

She held out her hand with a gentle smile. “Thank you for everything, Captain.”

He took her hand and the combined hands moved up and down. This was not going to be their goodbye. This was not going to be it. Her smile turned into a frown as he didn’t let go of her hand. All he had to do was release his grip, he had to let her go.

“Beet-”

He used his hold on her hand and yanked her to him. He caught her as she fell against him. She tried to say something, perhaps a protest, but the pirate ignored her. He captured her chin in his cold calloused hands and leaned down.

He kissed her. He poured all his feelings into the kiss. This wasn’t a sexy dirty one they had shared in his cabin. This wasn’t the peck he had placed upon her pearl skin last night. This act of their connected lips was oh so much more.

This was his passion, his longing, his love for Lydia Deetz.

The ship fell silent as they all watched on. The whole world had gone quiet as the kiss went on. It was the only two of them and they only thought of the other. It was too soon when they had to pull away. The air tasted sour upon their tongues as they panted.

“Don’t…” Beetlejuice gasped as he clutched her in his hold. “…Please don’t make me beg.”

Lydia panted as she could only stare at him. She then slowly brought up her hand and rested it upon his scared cheek. Her head shook gently and his grip at last released her. Once his hands were back at his side, she leaned up and kissed his check.

“Goodbye, Beetlejuice.” Lydia whispered for just the two of them. She then completely stepped back from him. She picked up the rucksack that Ginger had packed for her then passed the Boatswain down the gang plank. She didn’t stop even once her feet hit the dock. She knew that Ginger would catch up with her.

She continued on, she didn’t look back. She couldn’t.

“Capt’n?” Monstro uttered worriedly as he came up to stand beside his friend. Ginger had gone down the plank running after the Lass and the rest of the crew had scurried away from their leader. Beej hadn’t moved as he only looked at where the Lass had stood. His ashen hands clutched at his side and his teeth clenched behind his chapped lips.

“When Ginger returns, make sail.”

“But Capt’n…” Beetlejuice didn’t hear anything more as he had turned about and stormed to his quarters. Monstro watched as Beej disappeared into the grand cabin, loudly slamming the doors close. He ran a hand through his brown locks with a depressed sigh. 

He had never seen his friend so angered but at the same time so heartbroken. He had to talk to Ginger when she returned. He didn’t know what to do and the next few months of sailing would be troublesome if they didn’t do something.

~

Ginger returned with tears staining her cheeks. Doomie, Kidder, Jacques, and Monstro had met with her once she announced her arrival. She informed that she had the Lass all set up and that there was nothing more to do. She wanted to leave just like Beetle had said that should they do. The sooner they sailed away the sooner their hearts would ache less.

Ginger knew that was a lie, just as she knew Beej knew it too.

They were under way. The port was well behind them and nightfall had come. Ginger hadn’t seen Beetle ever since she had returned. She gathered some food for him and knocked on his door. There was no answer, not that she suspected anything else.

Ging made her way into the grand cabin and nearly dropped the food at the sight. The rooms state was as if the hurricane had swept through the space. The table was overturned, bottles were shattered upon the floor, the chair was nothing more than splinters.

She walked through the mess as best as she could. Her heart dropped and her tears started anew as she at last spotted her friend. Beej was curled up on the floor in the far corner. The chain that he had put on Lydia when he first met her was hanging from his bleeding hand. His own cheeks were stained with never ending tears. She placed down the meal and settled down besides him.

When he didn’t move away from her touch, she wrapped him up in her arms. He openly cried out as he leaned into her comforting hold. She choked on her own sob as the truth etched into both of their hearts. Lydia was truly gone.

“Why does everyone keep leaving me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please comment if you had liked it at all. i know this was a lot but it was all necessary i promise.  
> until the next chapter i love you all for the continued support and love. i read all the comments and i can't write how happy each one makes me.  
> Also i realized i never shared with you all the music that continues to inspire this fic which i feel is a crime. This works with all chapters so you can listen to it while reading the whole thing  
> https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9vT1OVpgc-XPeuGw8JNVCBoxk_wZmFql  
> Alright im going to go sleep until i get the inspiration to finsih the next chapter, again thank you and i'll see you all next time!


	5. and Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are here at last. The ending of it all, as well as a lovely epilogue. The support I have gotten for this story has been tremendous overwhelming and made me nothing but happy. I hope you all love this chapter as much as I have loved writing this story.  
> This chapter is heavy NSFW in a certain section, if you wish to skip that section I have separated it with "~~".  
> This is a story I will always hold dear in my heart and I hope it's the same for you all.  
> I recall that I promised a picture from Moca but sorry there is none just my words...well now there is one picture from me. You'll see!  
> Though I must apologize because I feel the endings are nothing but cheesy. I suck at endings and so I apologize to you all know if it wasn't what you were thinking it was going to be.  
> And once again this is highly un'beta'd so if there is something wrong I'll catch it in time, let me know if there is something major.  
> I shall leave you all with that, enjoy!

It had been a year.

Lydia didn’t know a pain like this could possibly be real. She shouldn’t have been surprised that a broken heart would hurt as such, but every day when the aching reminded her of what she lost, she would flinch in distress. Ginger had set her up with a woman named Mary, who worked as a guard for the richer patrons of Isle De Victoria. Lydia had become a sentry for the very people who used to throw up their nose up at her.

Most days it sickened her.

Then again, it wasn’t all that bad. The work paid a decent amount of coin and she was commissioned her a sword to call her own which was regularly taken care of at the local blacksmith. Mary was a lot like Ginger and Lyds easily made a new friendship with her. Despite wanting to strangle their clients, she enjoyed living in town. She could ignore the ache of her beating heart as she focused on her work.

Any word that made it to the port village she made sure to check and learn the most recent news. Her breath would be stuck in her very lungs until her ears would hear that the Kali wasn’t among the gossip. Either the world didn’t know about the ghost ship or there was just indeed nothing new to report. It didn’t matter because it meant there was hope that it was still sailing the seas. The crew were still alive, and the ship was still in one piece.

As long as the Kali was still out there then she could long to be back upon its decks. As long as the crew was still alive, she could still dearly miss them with everything of her being.

As long as Beetlejuice was still out there scaring the living souls of the seas, she could still miss him, long to be back in his arms, and she could still silently love him.

~

It had been a year.

He didn’t even want to make port. They could have gone a few more months without docking the ship but he had been outvoted. The rest of the crew had said they needed supplies and to drop off the people they had saved from the several slavers ships they had sunk.

They were right and that was why they had taken it to a vote.

They all knew why he didn’t want to make port. They wouldn’t voice it but they all knew.

He was not being a chicken. He was not scared!

He glared as Isle De Victoria was on the horizon. They would make port within the hour at the speed they were going. It was a beautiful sun kissed day and the wind had favored them as they made their way into the cove. He heaved a dreary sigh as he looked away from the island and made his way down to the weathered deck. He gave a hand to the new patrons they had upon the ship. The men who were once slaves but no longer, they still didn’t quite understand how to work the riggings.

Beetlejuice helped them and helped himself by throwing himself into the work so that he wouldn’t think about her. 

She wasn’t even here. There would be no reason for her to be here. They had parted ways and he had sailed away, leaving her here. She had the skills to get a job and make coin to board a new ship. She wouldn’t still be upon this island. There was nothing to keep her here.  
  
Lydia Deetz was long gone from his life and he would never admit to running from that truth.

They at last pulled along the dock going through the motions of tying off the ship. Monstro went with the group of ex-slaves that had been saved from the sunken ships. He would be gone most of the day so that he was assured that the group of people were settled and taken care of. Other members of the crew were quick to disembark right after them. They hadn’t been on or had seen land for a good few months. They were all too eager to get a woman on their laps and a couple of tankards of rum in their bellies.

Beetle was one of the last ones to disembark from the ship. He was usually the first, joining his crew to make the journey to the nearest brothel. Now he just lingered in doing nonsense around the ship. He wanted to make sure to stay behind and made sure things were secure, though they were things that didn’t need securing at all. He wouldn’t even look over the railings towards the town buildings as he continued on with his rubbish actions.

It was Ginger who finally chased him all the down gangplank until he was at last off the Kali.

She had been watching him from the other decks and she could no longer stand looking at his depressed face.

His feet automatically had taken him up the road heading to a rickety building he knew as well as he knew the insides of his ship. Dante’s was the biggest and wildest brothel upon Isle De Victoria. Before the year it would be the place where one would go a looking if they wanted to find the Kali’s captain. Once he made his way up the street, Beetlejuice now looked up at the large wood and nailed building with a depressed sigh.

He didn’t want to go in and be treated like he always was. All the woman of Dante’s knew him and treated him like royalty. It was because he had always made a trip to Dante’s after a successful plunder. He was sure that when the Kali had pulled into the port the girls of Dante’s had to have celebrated knowing soon their skirts would be overflowing with coin. It was too bad that this time that wasn’t the case and that he wouldn’t even enter the tavern. The thought to do so no longer appealed to him. The women’s looks, their touch, even just the smell of the building was offending him.

He turned from the establishment and began to look about the town. He didn’t know much else about Victoria, but Dante’s couldn’t be the only bar in the area. There had to be another somewhere. There had to be another building where he could go to drink away the ache of his broken heart. He would find a small place and just drink until he threw up, then would drag his miserable striped-ass back to his ship.

Once he passed out from drinking, he would hide out in his grand cabin until they were under way once again. 

In the morning, they would sail away. When they did, he wouldn’t have to think about this place again for a long time. Another sigh left his lips as his shoulders slumped with the gloomy thoughts. The hours truly could not pass fast enough.

It was then that he spotted another building that appeared to be a structure for serving alcohol.

It was away from the main square, but it still appeared to suit his needs. The crumpling bungalow looked like it could collapse with a harsh enough wind and the sign above the door was faded. He could barely make out the letters painted in the peeling red color. It was called the “RoadHouse”.

Simple enough name for plain enough establishment that was the last house on the road.

He made his way inside, slowly scanning his golden gaze about the space. There were other patrons in various booths and sitting at tables with goblets in hand. The customers didn’t have the demeanor as sailors so this must have been more a place for the locals. It would make sense.

Dante’s would attract the ones who passed through from the port while this place was just for the natives. A place to escape from the chaos.

Beetlejuice ignored the stares and made his way over to the counter. He slumped down upon the closest stool. He had only just gotten settled when he realized that this place was already growing on him. It took him a moment to figure what he was feeling. A lazy smile curled his lips as the idea came to him. This place felt like his ship. It felt like a home.

There was just something about the quiet and calm of the space that made you feel safe and that you belonged.

Dante’s was all about the atmosphere. The constant noise so loud that you couldn’t even think straight. Here there was only a man off in the far-right corner playing a violin flawlessly. His mellow tune calmed even the most angered patrons into a soothing stance. It was hypnotizing and Beetlejuice appreciated the relaxing song.

“Sorry about the wait, sir.” A bar maid spoke up as she finally came up to him.

She was a woman who looked like she took no nonsense. Her whole embodiment was one of strength. There was also something in her gaze the said she was not to be underestimated. Her deep brown eyes bore into him like she knew exactly who he was. He ignored the critical stare with his own expression of indifference. He was known about this port, so it wasn’t surprising if she knew who he was.

“It’s ‘ine.” He muttered as he slumped his chin into his hand. He kept his glum stare down at the wooden bar. She probably assumed he was here to cause trouble, but he wouldn’t do such a thing. He was just here to drink. He just wanted to drink and drink and drink some more.

“What can I get’cha? I’ll have one of my girls bring it to ya.” She asked as she took a cloth from her shoulder to wipe off the bar next to his arm.

“To be honest, as long as it’s strong and makes me forget my name, I don’t care otherwise.” Beetlejuice shrugged as he still didn’t look up to face the woman. There was only one face he wanted to see, but it wouldn’t happen. Maybe if he drank enough, he would see it in his dreams tonight, but he wouldn’t see her face when he was sober. He knew better than to hope for such things.

“You got it.” The woman answered before she turned about to walk away. The green haired captain exhaled while listening to the violinist change to a new tune. It had a peppy step to it but was still easy on the ears. He found himself gently swaying with the notes when a different figure had taken the place of the barmaid. He could only tell because he had caught a glance at the woman’s clothing color. The first one had been wearing green while this Lass was wearing a loose-fitting navy-blue top. He had just looked down again when a cup was set down in front of him by the new hand.

“Here you go.” Before the woman could pull her hand away, faster than lightening he captured her wrist. The almost silent bar completely disappeared as air froze in his lungs. He sucked in a deep breath as his heart began to beat at a deadly pace.

He knew that voice. He knew the hand he had clutched in his own grip.

It was too good to be true.

He steeled himself as he looked up and his eyes landed on his new bar maid. Lydia Deetz was standing on the other side of the bar. Her face was covered in a rosy blush. She realized he had recognized her. She should have known better. She should have known that there would be nothing on this forsaken earth to keep him from acknowledging it was her.

He would know her anywhere.

She no longer had short hair. It wasn’t flowing down her back either, but it now touched her shoulders in gentle waves. Her face was more defined. He still held her hand in his own and it felt rougher than he remembered. The bar was half hiding her, but he could assume she was just about the same height and her figure was about the same. Petite but her shirt sleeves were loose to hide her muscled arms. All of her clothes were loose to conceal her strength, other than her corset that covered her perfect sized chest. He wondered if she still had those abs he dreamed of running his hands over every night. He dropped those thoughts as his eyes traveled up to her face and there they were.

Her strange and unusually opulent eyes.

Jaysus he had missed those eyes.

Those hazel nearly brown eyes that changed colors as the light hit them. They still held endless mysteries. They still hopelessly gazed at him with an unspoken challenge for him to discover all her secrets.

Oh, he would discover everything she thought she could hide from him.

He would strip her bare. She had made a mistake by stepping within his reach. She wouldn’t get away from his clutches now that he had his hand upon her. He had already exhausted a year of yearning for her. There would not be a second more wasted.

Lydia only got a sly smirk that slowly split his features in half as a warning of what was to happen. 

Before anyone knew what was occurring, Beetlejuice had jumped over the bar and tackled her in his arms. He latched his grimy hands upon her chin capturing her face in a bruising hold. It wasn’t fast enough that he smothered his lips over her own. The two of them fell back against the wall of bottles, their rattle ringing out through the establishment.

He could care less if he broke every bottle of rum in this place.

He shoved her up upon the shelf and continued to kiss her. His hands jerked up her shirt from being tucked in her breeches letting his hands roam over her washboard light toned abs. He had to moved away just enough to breath. It was those short deep inhales of air where he took a moment to realize that she was pulling him closer. She had wrapped her legs around him and he could feel her hands digging into his windblown hair. He sank his own ashen hand into her coal locks, diving back to her mouth to suck on her lips.

He was never letting her go again. Lydia Deetz was back in his arms. She would not escape from him, not again. 

A shot rang out behind them and they both jumped at the echoing bang. He couldn’t let go of her but he did look over his shoulder at where the sound had come from. Lydia too looked while her hands slid down upon his chest, clutching tightly to his maroon-colored shirt.

Three pistols and even a long rifle was pointed right at Beetlejuice’s back. A man, a woman, and the violinist were aiming their pistols at him while the head bar maid had the rifle pointed right at his head. There was an older gentleman sitting at a table off to the left reloading the pistol in his trembling hand. He had been the one who had fired the shot.

“Now that I have your attention.” The brown-haired bar maid spoke up as she glared at the pirate. The bastard hadn’t let go of Lydia at the sound of the gun and she was so sure he would have.

“You best step away from my girl or I’m going to drop you harder than a sack of potatoes.”

“Ellen, please, don’t shoot him! All of you, please don’t shoot.” Lydia called out as her gaze locked onto all of her friends. She wiggled out of BJ’s embrace as she slid down from the shelf. Beej let her touch the floor, but his hands didn’t leave her body. His touch didn’t release her even as she came to stand in front of him.

“He didn’t mean any harm. He just missed me is all.”

“Are you sure, Lydia?” Ellen asked as she glanced from her employee to the tall Captain.

“I promise, it’s okay. He wouldn’t hurt me. I just surprised him, he tends to act without thinking, but he didn’t mean to be disruptive. Can I…can we talk alone for just a moment?” Lydia shyly asked as she linked her hand with one of BJ’s.

He rolled his eyes at her teasing words but then squeezed her hand affectionately. He only chanced to look at the men and lasses who had guns trained on him, not daring to move a muscle otherwise. He wouldn’t risk it as several weapons were pointed at important parts of his body. He had just found Lydia, he was not about to die in this tavern.

“Kitchen. You got five minutes.” Ellen nudged her head to a door on their right. Lydia nodded as she began to lead him out of the main sitting room and through the door. The weapons dropped one by one as they walked away. The man with the black pistol was the last one to lower his gun and he walked over to Ellen, whispering in her ear.

Beej didn’t think about them any longer as he and Lydia came into the kitchen. Once they were in the middle of the space, he seized her face again. This kiss was overflowing with his passion and longing. He was desperate for her to understand how much he had missed her.

She met the kiss with just as much yearning. Her pleasurable moans echoed off the pots and pans as she parted her lips to swirl his tongue into a filthy desperate dance. Lydia hands were back in his squid ink-colored roots in the within seconds. She tugged upon his unkempt hair and her nails itched along his weathered scalp.

“Yo…you’re right…” He panted as he only took moments to break their motions to take in gulps of air. It was never fast enough and he was always diving right back for her the second he could.

“Hmm?” She questioned. Her dry roughened hand came around to stroke his scruffy chin. A smile formed along her face as she remembered the feel of it against her palm.

“I missed you, Babes.” He confessed before he picked her up settling her upon a counter. Once she was settled and he was flush against her with his body between her opened thighs he was plunging down upon her lips once more.

Lydia gasped as he admitted it before she cupped his chin. She reluctantly eased him out of the kiss so that she could gaze up into his eyes. She inwardly chuckled that even with her up off the ground he was still taller than her. Lydia searched his face for what felt like eternity, at least to him it felt like a lifetime. It couldn’t have been even a minute. All he wanted to do was return to their kiss, but he waited for her. He secured his hands upon her hips before meeting her eyes to return the gaze.

When she found what she was looking for, Lydia’s doe like eyes filled with salty tears. He clutched upon her at the sight in slight fear for he had upset her, but it wasn’t the case. It was now her to be the one to apprehend him in a deep profound kiss. This act of their connected lips was no longer sexy or called for tongue. This was her pouring all her own craving and desire into his very soul as her response.

It was all too soon that she pulled away, but her face was carved with a loving smile. “Me too…”

She had missed him. She had thought about him just as he had thought about her during this lonely year. It was then that he realized that this was her saying what he dared to hope for so long. He was ready for her and she was ready for him. She finally understood that he wanted her for his very own. He knew that she finally was allowing herself to have him to call her own.

He would show her that he thought of no one else while they spent this last year all alone in their solitude. He dared to hope that she hadn’t been with anyone else, but it wouldn’t matter in the end. No one else would be good enough for her when he was finished with her. He knew it would be same for him. No one else upon this earth would ever catch his eyes ever again.

Then when they were truly alone, he would tell her what he should have said over a year ago.

“Come with me.” He said as he moved to take her down so that they could leave this joint. Her face into a worried frown as she secured her legs around him. She was stopping him from moving away and being pulled off the bar’s counter. She then took his chin in her palms for the second time. She was shaking her head as she glanced over to the kitchen entrance.

“I gotta finish my shift. Ellen doesn’t like us lacking in our work. I brought ya back here so I could tell ya I get off in the morning and then we-hey!” She squeaked as he jerked her off the counter.

Beetlejuice gently set her down but wasted no time gripping her hand yet again. He then led them both back through the kitchen entry. He spotted Ellen behind the bar and walked over to her, Lydia trailing behind him with a confused pinch between her brows.

Once he was before the woman running the joint, he searched around in his pockets before tossing two pouches upon the bar. They jangled upon the wooden furniture with a knowing sound. They were busting at the strings with golden coins. 

“Those are yours if you let me take Lydia back to my ship right now.” Beetlejuice explained as he held Ellen’s gaze while pointing to the small bags.

“Oh no.” Lydia mumbled under her breath with a hushed chuckle. Ellen’s face fell into righteous anger accompanied by an infuriated glare. She growled as her hand reached under the counter to produce an aged pistol. Then with lightning speed she had it cocked and aimed at the Captain’s forehead.

Beej jerked back, shooting his hands up into the air with confused surrender. “The hell, woman!”

“You listen here, boy!” Ellen barked silencing him with her irritated stormy brown eyes. “If you ever insinuate that I treat my girls like property ever again, you’ll find yourself so full of lead you’ll be shitting it in Davy Jones’ locker!”

Ellen wasn’t at all like the women who were in charge of Dante’s down the road. She was almost like Beetlejuice, she didn’t see people as property just the same as him. Beetlejuice saved people from becoming cargo while Ellen saved ladies who were looking to escape from the abusive environment of being in a man’s lap. It was why Lydia had come to adore Ellen so much. It was because she could see and had come to feel how much the wise aged woman cared about those under her care.

“Ellen, he didn’t mean it that way.” Lydia explained quickly. She reached out a hand, placing it over Ellen’s weapon to lower it. “He’s just not used to employers who don’t treat their woman for gain.”  
  
“If he’s thinking he can buy ya, then I say shoot him anyway.” A voice spoke up beside them all. It was the man who had been the last one to lower his pistol from before. He leaned up against the bar fixing with Beej with his own deadly glare.

“Dean, please.” Lydia sighed with an affection roll of her eyes.

“It did certainly look like that was what he was doing.” The violinist contributed his as he too came up to group at the bar.

“Cas, not you too!” Lydia scowled at the black-haired entertainer. She then moved away from the counter coming closer to Beej. She moved to his side and placed a protective hand upon his shoulder.

“Guys, enough! He wasn’t doing that, were ya, Beej?”

“No!” He quickly defended. He moved to stand behind the lady who was keeping his jewels from being blown off. He gently positioned his ashen grimy hands upon her shoulders before easing her back against his pudgy body frame.

“All I was doing was giving you coin to cover her shift. Look, I’m sure you all can understand. I haven’t seen her in over a year and I’ve missed her. I’m asking to spend the rest of this night with her, and I was only giving ya compensation for being short a hand.”  
  
Lydia was deeply blushing now, but Ellen took time to fully study her expression. Her girl’s face may have been redder than a slapped newborn’s bottom, but her appearance showed no fear. The wee Lass was softly smiling in what could only be explained as a shy form of joy.

Lydia was happy that this Captain was admitting that he had missed her and wanted her. She was sure he wanted her so bad that he would have taken her upon one of the bar tables. The thing that surprised was that she found herself realizing that she would have let him. That is, she would have if they were the only patrons in the bar. She bit her lip to hold in a silent giggle at the thought of doing such a thing in a public setting.

“Lydia.” Ellen said. The black-haired girl looked back up to her employer at the call of her name. “Do you want to go with him?”

Lydia glanced up at Beetlejuice, catching his eyes. She slowly moved her hand up and linked their fingers giving his scarred hand a caring squeeze. As he eased her closer to him, she breathed in his familiar scent.

The smell of gunpowder, sea water, and the dampened earth after a rainstorm filled her core. It caused her heart to race with emotions she never thought she would get to feel again. She let the smell flood her bones before nodding without hesitation.

“Yes, ma’am. If you will allow it, I wish to go with him.”

“And…” Ellen’s eyes hardened. Her eyes didn’t look away from the pirate and he shivered under her critical gaze. “…you promise you’re safe with him?”

“As safe as houses, Ellen.” Lydia confirmed as she locked eyes with the older Lass. It seemed to be enough of an answer for barrel chested maiden, who slowly but surely nodded in affirmation. She dropped her arms but then irritably shoved the pouches back at the portly buccaneer.

She didn’t need the money. It was never about the coin. It was always about making sure Lydia was going to be alright. Ellen wanted to be positive that Lydia was going with someone, who would bring her back in one piece.

“Sorry about that.” Beej exclaimed as he reached for the tiny sacks with an ashamed expression. He knew to hold his tongue further as he put away his pouches. Once the coin was forgotten, he stood beside the smaller Lass adoringly taking her hand back into his own. He looked back to Ellen with a gentle smile.

“Thank you.”

Ellen was taken aback that such a rugged swashbuckler could sound so sincere, but she could only again nod in response. She watched on as the two made their way out of her rickety bar. They all watched as Beetlejuice lead Lydia out onto and up the long dirt street, no doubt ending their journey at the docks. Once they were out of sight, Ellen deeply sighed and with saddened eyes went back to wiping the bar.

“You sure that was right?” Dean asked. He took a seat at the bar and looked up into the face of the brown-haired bar maid. Ellen nodded again as another sigh escaped past her lips and she leaned heavily upon the counter.

“Yeah, just as I’m sure I just lost my bar hand.” She acknowledged what they were all thinking. Lydia Deetz was no longer an employee of the Roadhouse. She was leaving with that Captain in the morning, the swashbuckler she was head over heels for.

~ 

It began to rain.

Lydia and Beetlejuice ignored it as hand in hand they ran in the gently falling water. Lydia could see the Kali’s gray sails down the road, and it filled her with unexplainable happiness. Over the year she had prayed and wished that any ship coming into the port town would have those off colored sails, but they never did. The fact that at last they were there left her brimming with excitement. It overwhelmed her even more so when Beej would look back at her with his suggestive sly smirk.

What felt like a hop skip and a jump they were both upon the Kali and making their way to the grand cabin.

Once the grand cabin doors were slammed closed, he trapped her against the navigational table in the center of the space. His lips covered hers in a quick kiss before he turned her about, bracing her form against the table. She clutched onto the sides of the wooden furniture. An excited gasp left her as his chubby body completely covered her back from head to toe.  
  
~~

He was upon her in quickened moments and even then, it wasn’t fast enough. His left hand slid between her pant covered thighs. His remaining hand landed precisely over her corset hidden chest. His tongue ran along her neck after nudging away her coal-colored locks with his nose. He rubbed his fingers along her clothed body as he leaned just enough away to gaze down at her flushed face.

Lydia was panting and clutching the table in a death like grip. He was only barely touching her but the friction from her clothes was enough to spark lightening along her veins. She didn’t believe she would survive this for she couldn’t catch her breath. She took in gulps of stale cabin air, but it never felt like it was enough. If this is how she was feeling with them both fully clothed, then how could she possibly endure it when they were naked as babes?

There was something puzzling her. She shot a brief look to the door that led into Beej’s sleeping quarters before peeking up at him over her shoulder.

“Shouldn’t we be doing this in your bed?” She asked quietly. He moved his lips off of her pearl skin to focus on her before moving further over her to connect their lips.

“We’ll get there, Babes, don’t doubt that, but there’s some things first.” He explained as he moved his right hand off of her frame, leaving a cold that she shuddered from. He took a dagger from one of his countless belts and clutched it in his ashen hand.

She shivered as he eased his chubby warmed build away from her curvy frame. She nearly cried out as he swiped the blade promptly down along her back. When she didn’t feel pain, she was relieved yet confused on what he had done. It was when he moved his hands on either side of her corset and pulled that her face bloomed with a deep crimson blush. A loud ripping sound echoed the room and her clothes that hid the top of her physique fell to her feet.

His hands were back upon her, this time on her breasts with skin touching skin. Her eyes fell in pleasure and she full bodily quivered as his hands roamed over the mounds upon her chest. He moved back in his stance to gaze at his ministrations over her shoulder but would occasionally glance up to study her desire filled face. Before she fell into his life from heaven, he never thought he would pine for small tits like hers, yet he would die before pulling his hands away.

There was no possible way to describe them other than perfect. They fit his palms like they were carved specifically for him to hold onto. He thumbed along one of her nipples while two of his fingers pinched and rolled the other. She was practically vibrating in his arms as he showered her petite chest. He kissed along her neck to ease her stiffened stance. Her back was as taut as a wooden mast and moans poured from her mouth like an overflowed tankard.

He would love to do this all night but there were much better things they could be doing instead. Then again before he got to such an act, he had to know a few things first.   
  
“Babes…” He spoke up as his hands now just caressed her chest, giving her a chance to catch her breath. She gasped for moments longer taking in a deep breath before letting her gaze refocus on the room. She then gazed back up at his charming face. He smiled as he knew he had her attention.

“Have you ever laid with anyone?” It was instantly that she shook her head, and her bottom lip was sucked between her alabaster colored teeth. She gulped down her nerves as her eyes looked away from the captain looming behind her.

~~

“I…I never…no…no one interested me here…they weren’t…” She pursed her lips and the blush that was upon her cheeks traveled until it colored the tips of her ears.

“What, Babes?” Beej whispered in encouragement. He could figure what she was about to say but to be honest, he really wanted her to say it out loud.

Lydia took in another deep breath and then steeled herself. She locked her doe brown eyes with his own golden orbs. She let the words fall from her lush red bitten lips. “…you. They weren’t you. I couldn’t stand the thought of them touching me if they weren’t you.”

“Blimey, Babes…” He exclaimed as a smile split his face. He was the luckiest bastard of a swashbuckler upon the seven seas. Right here in this moment upon his own ship no one would be able to convince him otherwise. The lady he had been pinning for loved him so much that she had turned up her nose to any other man that had even dared look her way. She had even done so without being certain in knowing that he would ever be back in her life.

His heart swelled with over whelming bliss that he swore his beating organ was going burst out of his chest.

He swooped her up in his arms settling her on top of the table before locking her against him once again. A loving smile curled her lips as her arms wrapped and secured themselves along his shoulders. Her hands curled up in his fluffy windblown green tipped hair. He dipped his lips against hers, but he wasn’t moving his hands as he had before. He had only placed them gently upon her still pant covered thighs. He didn’t wish to distract her with his hands right now, he just wanted his kiss to show her how pleased he was. 

Her lips swayed with his as her heart swooned with his motions. She could feel herself undulate under the gentle squeeze of his hands and his constant caressing plump lips. Her words must have must have affected in some way. She giggled in wordless happiness for they had been nothing but the truth. She hadn’t even given another man a second glance all throughout this lonely year. 

She had been too busy dreaming about these hauntingly gorgeous golden eyes that were now looking at her as if she had just handed him the moon and the stars.

~~

They kissed for what seemed like forever longer, just getting lost in the kiss they were sharing. They let the mellifluous pecking of their lips be a tune that spoke what they felt for one another. A siren song of lust, of yearning, of unholy desire and longing passion. It was only when Beetle felt that he had expressed his feelings well enough that his hand moved. It curled down Lydia’s inner pant seam and she loudly gasped as his fingers rubbed along her burning heat through the rough fabric.

“Bloody hell, Babes…” He too gasped as he could feel how soaked she was for him. They had barely done a thing and yet he can tell she was smoldering for him. As much as he wanted to reach for her remaining clothing, he stalled himself glancing into her eyes once more.

“Lydia…” He spoke before she was looking at him. “You should know, my dear, that no matter how much I prepare ya there will be pain. It’s unavoidable, I’ll do my best to make it disappear after but it’s up to ya, ya still up for this?”

He was surprised as a light chuckle came from her. Lydia smiled and moved one of her hands to cup his chin. She was now the one to initiate an affectionate kiss upon his chapped lips. She then nuzzled her forehead with his own as her arms hugged him comfortably.  
  
“I’ve been in pain since I’ve had to watch you sail away, Beetlejuice. Now that you’re here, I feel like nothing could ever restore that pain ever again, not even you. If it’s unavoidable then that’s what it is, but if ya need further proof of my acceptance then listen here. I trust you, Beej. Whatever you do, whatever happens, I trust ya, Beej. Now get us into your bed and take me so hard that we rock this ship.”

A wicked smirk was curved on her lips and a lust ridden sparkle twinkled in her eyes. Beej nearly collapsed for his knees went weak at the look and from her words. How could he possibly keep his lady waiting a second longer with such a request?

“With pleasure, Lass.” He devilishly chuckled as he picked her back into his arms.

They were upon his bed all too soon and even quicker they were both bare as the day of their births. Their arms were clutching to each other as he sank his fingers deeply into her. He talked and whispered endless words of reassurance or comfort as he used his long ashen fingers to loosen her body for him. Her mouth would kiss him for moments then she would let her head fall back to pant out pleasurable moans. Her own fingers were comfortably tugging on his hair before one of her hands moved past his shoulders to settle on his back. He hissed in delight as he could feel her nails digging into his skin. She would for sure leave long scraps of blood along his spine once they were moving in a rocking motion. His own fingers took purchase of her hips as he lined himself with her. 

“Look at me, Babes…” He gently commanded and once her stunning eyes were upon him, he slid into her with one true thrust. He cradled her head, but her eyes squeezed shut as the agony of a first-time sexual act washed over her. She would have bitten her lips but Beej’s were on hers trying to kiss the discomfort away. He was still whispering to her, reminding her to breath and offering words of comfort. As much as he loved the squeeze of her body around him, he knew it was because she was in pain and he would be damned if she stayed that way.

“I’ve got ya, Lyds. I know it hurts now but it won’t for much longer, ya still with me? Ya still trust me?” The swashbuckler Captain asked worriedly.

He caressed her body and made to make sure he stayed as still as he could within her. She took more deep breaths, focusing on letting air fill her lungs and calm the sting. She let herself relax into his hold and when the pain soothed even a by a hint, she nodded.

“Yes…yes, Beetlejuice.” She assured as she gazed up at him. He chanced to move to just lean down and meet her in a kiss. This one had their tongues dancing with each other encouragingly. He then was slowly easing back out of her and it was only a moment before he began his gentle pace, making sure to sheath his rapier fully into her over and over again.

When she clutched onto him calling out for more, he moved her hips off the mattress so to increase his tempo. His hips met with hers repeatedly with raucous slaps of skin. Lydia thought she would be disgusted but she never found any aghast feelings ever enter her thoughts. She was so stunned with feverish desire, she could only find herself jerking her hips in time with his to feel every speck of unexplainable pleasure and ache as their consummation continued. When his fingers settled against a knob of nerves at her entrance and he stroked it, her head threw itself back and uncharacteristic high-pitched moans were ripped from her throat. He smirked against her pearl skin before attaching his lips to the juncture of her shoulder and neck. It only took so much more of his ministrations before she yelped, and her nails punctured the weathered skin of his back.

She was nearly there.

“Lydia…” His love dripped whisper into her ear was all it took. His single word was all she needed to be sent over the edge. Her body went taut like the riggings upon the ship. Then with a pitched scream of nothing but pure satisfied pleasure, her being exploded around and underneath him. The sound of her voice and the vice capturing grip her entire form had upon him brought him to follow her. His climax filled her just as the ocean would fill a cave at high tide.  
  
~~

They collapsed in a boneless heap. He had enough strength to make sure not smother her with the swell of his gut. He fell besides her as their bodies unattached themselves from one another. They didn’t stay apart for long. Once he was settled upon the mattress, he took her back in her arms tucking her securely under his chin. She followed him and curled her arms over him, making sure to flush their bodies together from their heads to toes.

She pleasantly hummed in exhaustion as she felt lips touch her forehead. She would have returned the gesture, but she felt she couldn’t move even an inch. Her body was pleasantly tired leaving her limbs feeling like lead. His warmth and the secure hold he had upon her let her drift off into a comfortable sleep.

He felt her become unconscious to the world and he knew he only had seconds before he would as well. He double checked that he had his arms around her serenely then sighed out in nothing but true contentment. He watched her sleeping face pillowed against his chest until his eyes drooped into a dozing sleep. A loving smile staining his dry kiss riddled lips. 

~

She woke up alone. She had hoped that after last night she would never have to wake up alone ever again. She placed her hand where his body left an imprint in the bed, sighing out in relief for it was still warm. Well at least she had just missed him. As much as it ached to wake up alone, she knew it was understandable. He was in control of a whole ship after all, he was probably helping the crew with the morning chores.

She pulled the blankets around her form and hesitated with going to the door. Most of her clothes were torn last night. She fondly rolled her eyes as she recalled him tearing the cloth from her. She’d have to talk to the bilge rat about being more gentle with her clothes in the future. Her eyes then landed on his hope trunk and a smirk curled upon her glossy kissed riddled mouth.

Beetlejuice was bracing himself upon the Quarter’s deck railing, watching as the sun rose to start the day. It was rare to see the decks so devoid of life. His crew mates most likely hadn’t returned from their night adventures though he knew he was to blame for that.

After they left Victoria last year, he had made it so no more one night stand partners were brought upon the ship. He hadn’t been able to stand hearing his mates taking women in their own sleeping quarters while his remained empty and cold. A dark chuckle escaped him as a thought suddenly came to him. He would have to lift that rule since technically he broke it last night.

Not that he would ever allow what happened last night be a one-time thing. 

“Ahem.” He heard behind him and so he turned to the direction of the voice. He nearly crumpled against the railing at the sight.

Lydia was walking out of the grand cabin in his clothes. She had put on a pair of his stripped pants tying them with the strings that had been part of the corset. The pants were too big for her so if she hadn’t tied them they would have fallen off her hips. She had put on one of his deep green shirts and it hung low on her velvety neckline. It thankfully didn’t droop enough that it would show off her pearl skinned chest. Her hair was flowing in soft waves that were in a light mused mess from his hands running through it all the live long night.

She was tying a red bandanna in her hair as she caught his eyes. “How do I look?”

“Like you were kissed by the gods.” He confessed as she came to stand before him. She giggled as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He settled his hands along her hips with a smile.

“I’d rather be kissed by you.” She replied with her own smile.

He obliged leaning down so that their lips could meet. They kept it simple, gently lavishing each other’s chapped lips. He could feel her fingers twisting up into his hair once they both broke away from their kiss. They would just for moments to suck in deep breaths of air before diving right back for one another. He hoisted her up upon the railing, settling himself between her stripped thighs without stopping the motion of their mouths.

“Babes…” He at last uttered as he pulled backwards just enough to speak. He had cupped her jaw in his pale hands, his thumbs caressing along her jaw. “…you ain’t going to make me beg this time, right?”

She hummed as she nuzzled her forehead along his, breathing in the morning sea air. “I wasn’t planning on it, but ya know instead of begging you could just ask me to stay.”

He caught her eyes as he realized what she was saying. It was true. He never actually out right asked to her stay. He had always said it in his own round about kind of ways but now she was asking him to just simply ask her. He could do that.

“Lydia…” He loved how she shuddered as he said her name.

“…will you stay? I want you to stay here and be with me, so will you? I…” He steeled himself as he knew he had to say it. There was only one thing this could be, and it might not be the best time, but he was going to say it. He had kept this from her for too long already, no more.

“…I want you to stay because I love you, Lydia.” 

His face momentarily fell into a sort of fear as she immediately gasped in shock, but she was clutching to him with a death like grip. He already had the same hold on her for if he didn’t, she would fall to the main deck below them. He only gazed deeply in her eyes as if he could see his confession wash over her. She was gazing back at him as her heart felt like it was beating out of her chest.

Jaysus, he loved her. He said it. He admitted what she dared to hope all these long drawn out months. The more she sat in his arms the more her initial fear melted away. There was nothing to be afraid of nor was there no doubt of what she felt for him. Her gasp this time was because she choked on a sob. Tears streamed down her rosy cheeks but she was gently laughing. Her fingers clamped onto his shoulders, bruising the pale skin, and her head enthusiastically nodded.

“Me too…” She finally spoke with a light cry. She kissed him quickly only to pull back enough where their lips barley brushed so that she could confess. “I love you too.” 

She loved him and he her. They loved one another and would never part from one another again. Lydia would be staying upon the Kali and Beetlejuice would be with her until they breathed their dying breaths. The pirate who had danced with the devil on daily sailings and the lass who never felt like she belonged to the world at last found each other. They found love in their embrace.

They had found the sweetest escape from the world that would call them strange and unusual in each other arms. They had one another and the sea to sail upon.

It was all that was needed.

The crew would be overjoyed that she was back, and as the celebration happened upon multi-level decks, they would sail away from Victoria with no heading. There were islands out there calling out to them, all of them laden with strange mysteries and untold treasures. The Kali crew of pirates were always drawn to the sea. Now that their swashbuckler mismatched group of a family was at last whole once again, they could drift their days away without a care in the world.

They would sail the depths of the seas through this life and long into the next.

Beej watched as the morning-colored hues of purples and orange envelop Lydia’s lovely form and she was returning his gaze with a fond loving one. She was so gawd damn beautiful as the morning light illuminated her with a pure heaven glow. She was an angel from on high and he was a demon who had rose from the depths below. Nothing in the world could separate them now, not when they had found each other once again.

He was so gods damned excited now.

In this past year sailing had become just a chore. It had simply turned into a way for all of them to travel. Now with Lydia in his arms, he was anxious to get back to cruising the deep blue oceans. If he could, he would sail the two of them away right now, but they had to be patient for the rest of the family to return. It would be fine, once they saw that the lady of the ship was back, they would be just as eager as him. The sailing could be held off, so instead he leaned down and kissed his fair Lass once more, dreaming about the adventures they would share. As the two of them were swaying with the never-ending rocking of the galleon, an enthusiastic smile carved itself upon his dry chapped lips.

He couldn’t wait to hoist the colors high.

~ The End~

(I had to make them a flag!)  
~ Epilogue ~

If he would let his eyes fall close, he could almost believe he could hear Ginger’s screams from his pacing along the beach. He knew it wasn’t true but he kind of wish it were so. If he could hear his friend, then he knew that things were going as they should.

He shook his head for even thinking such a thing.

It was of course going as it should. Lydia and Ellen were both there in case something happened, including a doctor as well. That didn’t mean that this birth was still safe. Anything could happen and he began his wandering anew so that he wouldn’t think such things. He only paused his steps as he noticed someone coming down from town moving right towards him.

Jacques was slowly walking his way. The poor Lad had his head down and his wrists were twisting up a storm. Beetle figured the girls would eventually send him away. Ginger didn’t want her husband to see her in such a state. Then again said husband was probably just making matters worse with his fussing. The green haired captain was surprised they hadn’t sent the crewman away sooner.

Once Jacques was seated upon a driftwood log, Beetlejuice continued his striding along the sandy shoreline.

The skinny weary pirate settled upon the log with a deep sigh. He should have been able to be more help back at the church. He should be up there while his wife brought their child into the world. If only he could but it just wasn’t so. His fretting and cowardice was just getting in the way.

His own wife had told him as politely as she could to bugger off. It was a funny memory now that he was away from the chaotic scene. He at last looked up and noticed his captain’s own fidgety form. The Kali’s captain wouldn’t stop moving as he was making a deep trench in the platinum sand. It was a captivating thought, but Beetle looked even more deeply anxious than Jacques was feeling.

“I say, Capt’n, will you be this frazzled when this situation be Lydia’s?” Jacques asked calmly. There was a moment of silence then he flinched in fear for Beetlejuice had suddenly tumbled over his own feet.

“What!” The pudgy buccaneer sputtered as he rightened himself before turning on his fellow mate. 

“That’s not-don’t be daft, man!…It’s not like that with…No man, she’d sooner relieve me of my jewels than let herself be filled with our child!”

“Oh, well I just assumed with how much you two have been-”

“Jacques!” Beej barked so that the skinner pirate would not finish his declaration. “Just because you and Ginger have been trying, doesn’t mean all of us couples have been, savvy?”  
  
“I understand, Capt’n, but I mean do you…do you think of such things?”  
  
The captain stalled his pacing as he turned to look out into the cove. It was such a beautiful day. The wind was carrying a gentle breeze that whipped their hair and the mid-day sun was at its peak. It wasn’t a scorcher of a day just a pleasant burn upon the skin. It most likely felt amazing in the shade. He looked out over the view and glanced back to the town right at the church.

Of course, he thought of those type of things. Then again, he would always be one to instantly smother such ideas the moment they appeared in his mind.

“I mean…yes, they were a passing fancy but that’s always what they were, mate.” Beej admitted as he turned to the rolling waves on the coastline.  
  
“Once I dedicated my life to being a pirate, I was no fool. I knew the life of a home and a family was to never be mine. I was to live a short life and a merry one with either the gallows or a sword being the end to my days. Hell, I never thought of love either. I just focused on what I knew I could obtain, like a tankard of grog or the warmth of a women for one single eve.”  
  
“But Capt’n, you have Miss Lydia now. You could have that kind of life if you wished for it.” Jacques added as his thoughts turned to the wonderful lady among their band of pirates.  
  
“Aye…” Beej agreed as he walked over to the beached log. He fell down besides his fellow crewman running a leathery hand through his green tipped hair.  
  
“But that’s just the thing, mate. ‘...if I wished for it.’ I don’t even know if I wish for it, or more importantly if Lydia wants that. We have a great life out on the ocean, sailing wherever the winds may take us. Living with every gust, never knowing what’s next for us. Younguns don’t belong on ships. Kids mean stability, settling. Stay in one place and having to be more than what we are. Being something bigger than we ever have been. I…I don’t think I can do that. More so, do I have the right to ask that of Lydia?”  
  
“It’s something that only you and Miss Lydia can decide, my friend. You and she are going to be the ones in charge now. She is going to be the Boatswain and you the Captain, but you know, as well as I, that if you both wish to step away from the ship, the crew will understand.”  
  
Ginger, Beetle and Jacques had been discussing it for quite some time now. Jacques and Ginger figured that once their child was born, they would settle in a home on Ise De Victoria. The two of them didn’t wish to raise a child on a pirate ship and even though the Capt’n was sad to see them go he knew it was for the best. The Kali was no place for a new-born babe. Also, Victoria would be a good home for the three of them. It was still the safest out of the islands they knew, especially for a couple of about to be retired pirates trying to find a new life. Then that just left the part of who was going to be the new Boatswain on the ship.  
  
Between the three of them there was no need to question who should get the role.

“Yeah, but I…” They both jumped as the town bell rang loud and echoing throughout the island.  
  
The two of them turned and Beej hoisted himself to his feet. It was a sentry bell besides the school. It still had to be for them, it couldn’t be anything else. The portly Captain smiled as he slapped his mate rightly on the shoulder.

“Let’s worry about it after we go meet your new offspring. Come on, lad, let’s go.” Beej yelped as he took off to the direction of the church. His stripped coat flapping in the Caribbean sea breeze.  
  
Jacques quickly scampered up from the log and followed. They ran all the way through the streets passing everyday gents and lasses going about their daily lives. Once the two pirates made it closer to their destination, they both fell into a quickened pace as they came up to the grand doors of the cathedral. One of the doors opened on loud squeaky hinges.  
  
“There you two are.” Lydia teased them once her eyes fell upon the two lads. Beej had just reached out his hand to knock on the door, but his lady had robbed him of the chance too. She had opened the wooden entrance fully with a wide beaming smile.

“I was just about to come get you. Jacques, you’re two girls keep calling for you, I wouldn’t keep them waiting.” She added with a hidden smile.  
  
The Paris born pirate had literally froze at her words. Beetle had laughed besides him slapping him soundly upon his shoulder once more as a wide smile split his face in two. The blue shirt pirate slowly came to smile as well and tears filled his sparkling eyes. A trembling hand of his covered his mouth as an overjoyed sigh left him.

“You…you said…”  
  
“Aye, it’s a girl, Jacques. Go on, everything went fine, so it’s safe. Go see them.” Lydia gently instructed as she stepped aside so that the men could come inside.  
  
All three of them moved away from the entry way of the cathedral, making their way down past the pews. The town didn’t have a physician bungalow of sorts, but the nuns were kind enough to offer a safe space to them all. The doctor had been with them though he was quick to leave for there had been no complications, so he hadn’t been much useful. Ellen and Lydia had done most of the work in his stead. Well, it be Ginger who had done all the work, but the two Lasses had been there guiding her along the way.  
  
The group came up to Ginger who was relaxing upon the alter a wee lass nestled in her arms. Lydia and Beetle continued on, moving off to the far side so to let the family have their moment. Jacques openly wept at the sight and nearly fainted as his wife gave him a loving smile. He came to her side and with shaking hands reached out to the two, caressing his hands along them both as if they were his greatest treasure. The new family spoke in hushed whispers and Beetle looked away from them as he focused his attention on the lady at his side.

“Are you okay?” He asked as Lydia was wringing a towel along her hands, a red soaked dish clothed towel.  
  
Lydia looked up at him with confusion. Why would she be the one to cause for concern? It was quite adorable that even when there was nothing to be wrong with her, Beej always fussed over her. It made Lyds heart swoon and always made her fall more in love with the man. She noticed his gaze upon the towel in her hands and was quick to understand of why he was worried. She quickly nodded and gave him a loving smile.  
  
“Oh yes, none of it is my blood. Now only once Ginger’s screaming will stop ringing in my ears, I’ll be right as rain.” She confessed as she tucked the rag into her apron so the Capt’n wouldn’t have to see it no more.  
  
The ships Boatswain had heard her and sent her a gentle glare over her shoulder. “Hey, I was valid with those screams!”  
  
“Aye, Aye Ging,” Lydia giggled as she came over and comfortably squeezed her friend’s shoulder. “…you know I just be teasing ya.”  
  
She moved back along the shelf at the back of the house of worship. She helped Ellen clean what they had used. It wouldn’t do for them to a leave a mess when the nuns had accepted them into the brick and mortar building. Ellen shot her a grateful smile as she gathered up the cloth they had used and moved outside to set fire to them. Lydia returned the smile as she filled some goblets with fresh water handing one first to Ginger, who was able to take it since her hands were free. Jacques was cradling the tiny babe in his still shaking arms gazing down upon her with an adoring look in his brown eyes.  
  
Lydia left a goblet out for when Ellen returned but she filled two more before moving closer to the tall Captain. She passed him the tankard and lovingly smiled as their hands brushed during the exchange. He shot her a charming smile at the touch before drinking from his cup. She brought the goblet to her lips and took a long deep drink.  
  
Beetlejuice watched her swallow the water as a relieved expression fell upon her features. She was most likely pleased that the danger had now passed and that everyone was safe for the moment. Ginger and the Babe were safe from the perils of a risky birth. Her captain and lover was at her side and not walking to the gallows. It felt good to know that for now they could breathe in peace. Beej continued observing her but chanced a glance at the three membered family, who were practically lost in their own world. The first-time father’s earlier words resounded with in his head.  
  
“Do you want one?” He found the words falling from him before he could stop them. He looked away from her with a slight blush as he knew he couldn’t take the words back now.  
  
“One what?” Lydia had slightly jumped as he spoke up. She had been so lost in the quiet of the moment that she had nearly forgotten that she was not alone. She had heard his words but did not understand what they meant.  
  
She looked up at him wondering if he was going to repeat himself, yet he was only waiting for her. Once her eyes had landed on him he shot his molten gaze to Jacques. He was not necessarily looking to his fellow crew mate but more so the wee thing in his arms.

Beetle couldn’t help but find it funny that Lydia was so slow to understand. She had turned her eyes on Jacques her face pinched in confusion. She still didn’t understand what he was saying in his question. She looked on to the swaying pirate with his new-born in his arms as she recalled precisely what the captain had asked her.  
  
The cup fell slipped out of her hand as the realization hit her like a tidal wave.  
  
“…oh my…Beej, what …oh my gawd…” The words tied itself to her tongue. Her face had gone paler than the shade of her skin. Beetle was sure that she would have fallen over in stunned shock if not for Ellen taking the exact moment to come back inside. She had seen Lydia’s spooked features and laid an comforting hand upon her shoulder.  
  
“Are you alright, Lass?” The coffee browned eye bar maid asked her with an arched eyebrow up in worry.  
  
“I…I…yes…it’s fine um…Beej and I are going to step out, let them be for a moment...” Lydia was quick to confess as she looked to Ellen with a reassuring look. “…Unless are you need me here, do you need me to stay and help you further?”

“No I’ll be fine, you go on and step out, get some clean air in your lungs.”  
  
“Right…right, let’s go Bj, now!” Ellen and the new formed family watched them leave with various states of confusion. Lydia was practically dragging the swashbuckler out of the building with a death grip on his maroon-colored shirt. Ginger and Ellen caught each other’s gaze just looking for a moment before sharing a shrug of indifference. Whatever it was, they were sure Lydia would be able to handle it.

~  
  
“What the hell was that? You can’t just ask me that!” Lydia was practically screeching like a parrot as she was now pacing along the Caribbean shore. She had dragged them away from the town center so that they could talk in private. It was more so they could talk without others around. If she wanted to talk in private, she wouldn’t be yelling at him until her voice went horse.

“It’s an honest question, Babes.” Beej offered as a response as he crossed his arms and innocently shrugged.  
  
He knew there was nothing innocent about his question though. He had asked out of the blue just like Jacques had mentioned it out of nowhere when it had been just the two of them. He hated that she looked like she seen a ghost and all he wanted to do was act like he never asked the question. He had asked though, and it was out between them now. It was as Jacques said, only he and her could figure out what they wanted to do. They would eventually have to talk about it, he knew it just wasn’t the time now. It couldn’t be helped he had brought it up so they might as well have it out here.   
  
He wondered if she was more pissed off that they were talking about it now or if it was because they were talking about it at all.

Lydia paced the beach as the question settled in her bones. What kind of question was that? Did he seriously think of children or was he asking just because of what happened? She frantically ran her hands into her squid inked colored locks as she fretted over the implications of such a query. A blushed painted her cheeks as she imagined herself filled with a child, their child. She had been lovingly gazing at Ginger who would walk around with a glow about her as the babe grew within her womb. She had thought of herself in such a state but had been quick to toss such an imagine. She had been positive that Beetle hadn’t wanted them to conceive. He certainly hadn’t said anything as she went through the motions to make sure she didn’t miss her shark week every month after any time they had laid together.

He had asked though, so did he actually want a child this whole time? 

“Well, what about you, what do you want? Do you want a kid?” She at last asked as she turned back to him with her bottom lip being bitten between her alabaster teeth.

“I don’t know, Babes.” He answered her honestly. He came closer to her, tucking her wind whipped hair back behind her ear before cupping her cheek in his palm.

“Jacques asked this when we were waiting, and I was surprised just like ya. I never thought of a family as being a thing for me. Once I knew piracy was my life, I knew thoughts such as staying on a single island raising a family was never going to be for me. Not when the gallows were constantly calling for my neck every day I sailed. But seriously Lass what about you, have you thought of a family?”  
  
“I mean, no, not really.” She somewhat lied, not quiet wanting to admit just yet that she had thought of it during these last few months. “I mean I… the reason I ran away from my home island was because making a family was expected of me. I knew if I stayed in my gilded cage, I would be sold off as an arranged marriage whoever paid my own father the highest bid. Whoever had to put up me for the rest of my life would want me to be silent with my only purpose to push out a kid whenever I could possibly walk. I left all of that when I left home. Why would I think about it if I left that in my past?”  
  
“Touché.” He agreed as he ran his thumb along her jaw. She tenderly chuckled as she brought her hand up to hold onto the one he had upon her. She linked her fingers with his then guided his knuckles to her lips and affectionally kissed the roughened ashen skin.  
  
“By Jaysus, Beetlejuice. You and I are so damned…” She lightly shook her head good naturally before giving him a gentle glare. “You’re supposed to ask your lady for their hand in marriage first, then children further down the road.”  
  
“Well, …” Beej’s face slipped into another innocent smile and an optimistic twinkle in his golden eyes. “… now that you mentioned it…”  
  
“BEETLEJUICE!” Lydia rightly barked as she stepped out of his embrace only to clutch his coat in her crushing trembling hands. “I swear to the damned sea gods that if you get down on you knee on this beach, I will pull out your tongue with my bar hands and then I will cut you open with your sword and wear your guts for my garters!”

“Alright, Alright, easy Babes…” Beej held up his hands in mock surrender. “… no asking for your hand today, message loud and clear.”

She released his coat and crossed her arms over her petite chest. Her eyes softened as she looked at him out of the corner of her big doe gaze. “You’re …you’re really going to ask me?”  
  
“Yes, my love.” He wrapped his arms around her closed off form. He peppered kisses along her pale throat before cupping her chin in his leathery palm. He tilted it up so that they could only longingly gaze into each other’s eyes.  
  
“You’re it for me, Lydia. Davy Jones damn me, you were it for me from the moment I saw you. No one else on this wretched earth has a hold on my blackened soul and heart like you do. No one ever will! You are all I will ever, no all I will ever need in this life and long into the next. So yes, one day, when you least expect it, you will turn around and there I will be on one knee practically begging you to become mine in every sense of the word.”

“Jaysus, Beej..” Lydia gasped as she practically fell against him for the bones in her legs felt as if they had gone to mush. The blush had painted itself upon her cheeks warmed her skin while turning it an very becoming rose color. She nibbled upon her bottom lip in a demure fashion and stared lovingly into his eyes as he had just promised her the moon and the stars. If the pirate captain hadn’t already been hopelessly smitten for her before, he sure as hell was now from her look alone.  
  
He gave her a comforting kiss upon her brows swaying her gently in his arms. “Don’t think about it anymore. You are right, I’m sorry I asked ya such a question unexpectedly, but at least we both know now what we feel about it. We’ll continue to be careful and carry on as we have.”  
  
“And if it does happen?” She meekly mentions between them.  
  
“Then we’ll sail those seas when we get there, it’s all we can do.”  
  
“Aye.” Lydia agreed with a meticulous nod. She took in a deep breath of the sea laden air moving her hands down to cover the ones he had over her muscular shirt covered stomach. She let them stand just in the quiet moment for a time longer savoring the feel of their bodies just gently hugging each other. She always lived for times like these and treasured the ones to come in the future.  
  
“We better get back, Ellen should be relieved of having to watch a grown man cry.”  
  
“Aye, Babes. Let’s go.” Beetlejuice agreed as he let his hands fall from her not without placing one more jubilant kiss upon her cheek. She let out an elated giggle as his scruffy beard tickled the light toned skin of her face and she amorously eased him away so to walk back up the beach to the road. The green haired captain followed her as the corners of his mouth curled upwards with an adoring smile.

Once Lydia was a few steps ahead of him, Beej stalled his walking as he pulled out the ring from within his several pockets. He gazed at it as he twiddled with it between his ashen dirt caked fingers. He had dug this old ring out of his hope trunk some months ago. He had been carrying it with him since then, always waiting for the right moment.  
  
When she had mentioned it in their conversation, he couldn’t help but inwardly laugh at it all. She couldn’t have known that he had been carrying his mothers ring waiting for the right day to give it to the love of his sea driven life. Before meeting Lydia he had been so sure that this ring would go to Ginger just so that in some round about way it stayed in the family. That wasn’t the case now and as the blood red jewel twinkled in the sun, he knew this single piece of jewelry only belonged on one place. A smile so filled with happiness crinkled the leathery skin around his eyes as he imagined it upon Lydia’s hand.

He looked up in time to watch Lydia walking away, she still not having noticed that Beej was no longer by her side. He noticed her pausing finally realizing his missing presence and quickly slipped the ring back into his pocket when she looked back, her body following to turn towards him. He flashed her his most roguishly charming smile and jogged along the sandy beach to come to stand next to her again.

Oh yes, one day he would get down on his stripped covered knee and ask her to be his once again. He would ask her to take his name and at last be called his wife. He would ask because if there was one thing he never doubted since their reunion was that his place was at her side, just as he knew she felt the same. Her place was standing alongside him.

They would stand together as they fought against the normal roles of their dynamics. Together they would oppose those who would dare think they could oppress them.

They would be known as the villainous infamous Beetlejuice and Lydia, the pirate King and Queen of the raging seas.

Jaysus, he liked the sound of that. His entire body shook with an enthusiastic giggle, which his lady heard loud and clear. Lydia glanced up at him as they recontinued to trek their way back to town, her face falling into one of intrigued curious confusion.

“What’s so funny?” She asked which was followed by her own amused chuckle.

“Oh, nothing, Babes.” He only cheekily smiled as a innocent reply. “Nothing at all.”

~The End~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you have liked this story let alone this chapter and tell me what you all think of it! Again major love to you all. I'll see you all in the next story to come.


	6. Author's note

Hello everyone  
I know you probably weren't expecting this but I figured as a Valentine's day present to all who had given this story so much support I should let you all know there will be one final chapter/works to this story. I don't know if I will make it it's own separate work or if I'll just add it on to this story and take this note down when it arrives. Let me know in the comments what do you think should I just add it to this story so it's all together or should I make it it's own work?  
I just haven't given up on this world yet and I've been going back and forth on making one more chapter and I think I finally have a good enough story line to do just that, so surprise!  
Happy Valentine's day to you all and look forward to the next part coming out whenever it does, lolz.  
Again let me know what I should do!  
Just incase anyone is re-looking or looking at all the last chapter will be out on or before Feb 28th 2021! Have a great day/week everyone and again I cannot thank you all enough for the support on this story. Until I see you all then, with love!


	7. Sequel Part One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning right now; If you like Charles Deetz as a character you will hate him in this sequel. I made him the way I did because I had too. That is the only apology I am offering you and it is your full warning. Brace yourself if you go on to read.  
> I hope you all enjoy! I couldn't make this one chapter it was too big, so you get two parts so you can take a breath between each parts. You will need it.

“Babes? I’m back.” Beetlejuice called out as he walked into his home after working a long day at the docks.

They had made a home upon Isle De Pascual right at the top of the hill overlooking Port Aliexis. It was a nice diminutive sized mansion. The structure was grand enough for a lord, yet it was simply perfect for the two retired pirates who used to rule the seas.  
  
It was a white single-story estate with only a lookout tower as a second floor. They had built a swinging chair up there so that they may both sit and watch the cove whenever they had a chance to themselves. It had taken a lot to build but it was worth it all in the end. He had never been so proud of himself, to know that this place was theirs because he had built it with his blood, sweat, and tears.  
  
Beej never thought he would be living on land, not after surviving a long life of living upon the cold infinite expanse of the ocean. He knew though that he had changed, his love had changed and he no longer needed be out to sea to be happy. Besides after the years had rolled by it was nice now to have a place to call home.

A home that didn’t rock with the ever-moving tide.  
  
“Babes?” Beej called out again as he didn’t receive an answer. He had walked into the kitchen area filling a goblet of water, drinking greedily once it was full. It had been a scorcher out today. He understood that he had gotten back later than usual, so it might just be that she had already been asleep. He quickly left the kitchen and made his way to their room at the back of the house.  
  
When he came into the room and he glanced at the bed, it was unusually empty. Beej then looked within the library which turned up to also be unoccupied. He had already walked through the dining area and she wouldn’t be in their shared office, so he smirked as he turned to the last unchecked door. It was the one that led up to the second floor.

It was the only answer.   
  
He made his way up the steps and quietly pushed open the door that led out onto the balcony floor. He came up and there she was. He smiled as he moved next to the swinging chair where his wife had fallen asleep. Lydia was curled up in a ball form the moon shining down upon her pearl skin, the blood red jewel twinkling upon her hand as the chair lightly rocked back and forth.  
  
Jaysus, he could never get over how beautiful she was. He was a damned lucky bastard to have this woman by his side. He thanked whoever was listening every single day for bringing this strange and mysterious lady into his adventurous and dangerous existence. He never dared to think where he would be now if he hadn’t met her.

It always made him shudder.  
  
Beetle didn’t wish to wake her but tonight was going to get cold, plus there was supposed to be a storm happening in a few hours. He wouldn’t let his lady get wet and he was sure she would want the same. He reached down and as gently as he could picked her up into his ashen arms. She was a light sleeper, but it seemed he was getting better at not arousing her because she merely snuggled into his side.

When she didn’t make any other notions of awakening, he made his way down the stairs. He had just set her down in their bed when she opened her eyes in groggy recognition.   
  
“Beej?”  
  
“Hey, love. Have ya eaten? Sorry for ‘waking ye, didn’t want ya getting rained on.” Beej commented as he moved away from the bed and over to the hearth. He quickly lit a fire, adding a fair amount of logs for it to go for a while. If it was to rain all night, then having the fire going after they fell asleep would keep them nice and warm. 

“Rained on? Oh, I fell asleep up there, I didn’t even realize.” Lydia gently chuckled as she sat up upon the headboard to watch her husband. She hadn’t even felt him carry her down. “Thanks for saving me from an unwanted bath.”  
  
“Always, my dear.” Beej chuckled as well before he looked to her over his shoulder in slight worry. “But are you alright, it ain’t like you to fall asleep up there?”  
  
“I mean, I’ve just been feeling tired lately but otherwise I’m fine.” She confessed with a slight shrug. She had not been feeling feverish but these last few days a tiredness had befallen her. She found herself sleeping deeper and in longer periods.  
  
It was unusual but it was also the time for the seasons to change so she figured it may have just been because of that. It had only been a few years since they settled here so she also just assumed it was her getting used to the climate here.  
  
“If you say so.” Beej agreed without further argument. He let the fire be before turning to the wardrobe cupboard. He began to remove his vests and other articles so that he could finally get comfortable.  
  
“You’re home later than usual.” She commented, hoping to change the subject from her state of affairs. “Everything go okay today?”  
  
“Aye.” He nodded as he unclasped his belts. “It took longer than we thought but we finally got the Revenge repaired and that bastard Jack can at last get his Bloody Arse out of my port. I swear if I had to listen to him one day longer, I’d ram him through with my own cutlass.”

Lydia’s shoulders gently shook as she laughed.

She had heard all about how her husband loathed the man who dared to call himself a captain, at least in Beej’s eyes. Calico Jack and his ship had pulled into Port Aliexis some days ago. The Revenge had gotten in a big skirmish off the coast of Jamaica and was in need of some serious repairs. They were willing to pay a massive sum of coin for it all. Despite wanting to use the swaggy Captains’ guts for char and chum, it was too much money to pass up the offer.

When they had settled upon this island to call home, with Beej’s reputation and title as the infamous Kali’s captain, the people here had been all willing to name him the unofficial leader of the port town. It had been surprising that the title had also been granted to her as well.

It was strange to go from someone who was the anomaly among the normal to being the one, even an informal one, in charge of a whole port town.  
  
The two retired swashbucklers accepted the positions, making sure to lead fairly to repay the town that accepted them. 

Lydia helped at the bars whenever she could, keeping sure that trouble never happened at Catherin’s or any other establishments. She taught any who wished to learn how to defend themselves with a sword. She soon had a small army of women following her, looking up to her with renowned loyalty.  
  
Beej took up leading the lads and lasses at the docks. He had confessed to her that he had done a lot of the repair work whenever the Kali needed it, and that was why building their home had been something he had wanted to do. He was so good with his hands so he threw himself into helping make the port the best it could ever be. They did daily duties so that the harbor stayed in top shape. They also mainly repaired ships that came to port for help.  
  
The two of them soon had this island known, at least among those who needed to know, mainly for helping buccaneer ships and for fair trading.   
  
A safe haven for pirates led by the infamous swashbuckler duo themselves.  
  
Beetle had wanted to send Calico Jack off his island the moment he met him. He had heard the stories about the cad pirate who had the ego that matched the size of the oceans of the world and they hadn’t prepared him for how much he wanted to punch the man in his barely scruffy jaw. Then again, the amount of coin they were willing to pay had been too grand to say no too, so his hand stayed unwillingly at his side.  
  
The Boatswain and Quartermaster of the Revenge tried to do business with Beetle so that he wouldn’t have to deal with Jack, but still it wasn’t enough. The extravagant knob was getting on the portly retired Captain’s last nerves. He grumbled for many a night about the knave of a sailor. It would be good that the scoundrel was finally leaving, if he stayed any longer it was only a matter of time before Beej would beat him to a bloody pulp without remorse.  
  
“Maybe once he leaves, we should go somewhere, get away for awhile?”  
  
“Oh, ya wan’a go someplace? Could do that, you have a place in mind?” Beej said teasingly as he moved to kiss his wife’s forehead. He paused and his cunning smile dropped as he took notice of her expression, one full of hesitation and far away computation.

“Babes?” He asked as he moved so that he was in front of her.

He kneeled upon their carpeted floor so that he could look up into her mysterious eyes. She had to have already thought of somewhere she wanted to go with that look in her faraway gaze. He just couldn’t tell how long she had been thinking about this, but it might have been longer than he was guessing.   
  
“Come on, Lass…” Beej tried to tease once more as he cupped her jaw so that she may properly look at him. “It’s just me. You have somewhere in mind, don’t cha?”  
  
“Aye.” She quietly answered as a sadness filled her gaze.  
  
“Well?”  
  
“I don’t want you to be angry with me.” Lydia confessed as she heaved a grand sigh, touching his hand that was upon her face.

She had been thinking about where she wanted to go for a few weeks now. She had been hoping to find a good time to bring it up to him, but the moment had never felt right. It was more so that she just never knew how to say what was slithering in and out of her thoughts. As the weeks had dragged on and she still didn’t speak up, Fear had begun to eat at her nerves. She feared bringing it up to him or even worse, what would his answer be?  
  
“How do you know I’ll be mad unless ya tell me?” He chuckled merrily and with nothing but kindness. He wouldn’t get angry, but it must be somewhere serious if she thought that he would.  
  
“I want to go see my mother.” She started, letting the silent pause pass between them after she confessed. It was just as she figured would happen, her husband’s face dropped into one of confusion. She woefully sighed once more before continuing.  
  
“Her gravesite, Beej. I want to go visit her, but it’s on…”  
  
“Corona.” Beej answered as the realization hit him like the rising tide.

She wanted to see her mom, but her mother’s gravesite was in her hometown. The town where his Lydia had been born but had done all she could to get away from when she was able to. If they wanted to see her mother, they would have to go to Isle De Corona. They would have to be within the constant shadow of Fort Salvador. It was why she hadn’t wanted to ask him.  
  
She was worried he would be angry because it would be dangerous. It would be wholeheartedly risky for them to go to that island, even with their pardons. Their pardons would do little good while they were in the den of the red coated wolves.  
  
They had both received pardons from a Lord that was from France, who had got mixed up with the bad end of an entourage of slaver ships. They had saved him from a fate worse than death, but they didn’t realize it until it had been a few years. They didn’t cross paths again until they had first settled down in Port Aliexis.

The man known as Lord Roberts had cornered them in town but when they both drew their swords on him, he confessed that he meant no harm. He had said he was honored bound that since Beej had saved his life, that this was his way of repaying the already retired pirate. They had both handed over the Kali to Monstro and Doomie just the year before the Lord had stumbled upon them once again. Beetle wouldn’t let him hand over the pardon unless there was one involved for his wife. It had taken longer and with reluctance but in the end, it was done.

It had been two years now since Beetlejuice and Lydia Shoggoth had both been pardoned together.  
  
“Aye,” She answered him with a reluctant sigh. Tears gathered in her hazel eyes and they sadly twinkled in the firelight. “I know…I’m sorry, I know it’s stupid and foolish and…”  
  
“Babes,” He stopped her as he noticed her begin to cry. He leaned up to kiss at her cheeks, catching the salty drop with his lips. She silently started to sob in his arms, but he held her until she calmed herself. When the last of the shakes left her body, he nuzzled his forehead with hers.  
  
“We both know it’s dangerous. I also know you wouldn’t suggest going unless it really meant something to you. I’d give anything to be able to go back to where my family once lived and show them what I become. You have that chance and I’ll be damned if I keep ya from it. We shouldn’t let the navy stop you from going to see someone you care about either. Besides, you and I are no cowards. If we didn’t go then it’s the same as if we are a pair of sniveling lily livered codfishes, agreed?”  
  
“Beej, I don’t want to put ya in danger…” Lydia wanted to concur but the worry she felt was too much to be ignored. What if the worst happened? What if they got seen or captured? She’d never be able to live with herself if he were to die just because she missed her no longer living mother.  
  
“What’s life without a little danger…” He shrugged but could see that wasn’t soothing his concerned partner. He kissed her again hoping to ease her troubled mind. “Look we’ll be as safe as we can, that’s all we can do. Do we have to get there by a certain time or is anytime alright?”  
  
Lydia sighed as she realized there was no taking it back now. Beej wanted them to go because he knew it meant a lot to her. It did. Her mother’s death anniversary was coming up soon. She wanted to show her mother that she was doing alright.

That she had finally found her place in the world.

She couldn’t help being concerned knowing that once they were in Corona, it would be no different than being sheep among wolves. It was as he said though, they would just have to be as quick about it as they could and not bring attention to themselves.  
  
She told him that anytime was fine. She wasn’t exactly in a hurry to get them to their possible deaths. He nodded in silent understanding. He could comprehend why she was so afraid. She would know more than him of the torture the navy could unleash upon them both if they were captured. He had only heard the stories about it all, but she had lived among it for a good amount of her life. They would just have to be careful.  
  
BJ went on to mention that he would check at the docks tomorrow to see any news about ships. If they had to leave now, he would hate it, but he would have suggested they ride on the Revenge. Thankfully that wasn’t the case, and that piss pot of a ruffian could leave without them. Beej would ask the Boatswain and the Quartermaster of ship news before merrily sending them away from his hometown. They would wait for the next ship to pull in. 

As they settled on agreement of waiting, the two of them at last fell into bed to get some sleep just as the rain began to roar outside the walls of their house. Lydia cuddled into his ashen arms under their many blankets sighing out in still somewhat worry but also in relief. She had been fretting over bringing up the subject and it had gone as fair as she could suspect.

As Beetlejuice fell asleep besides her with herself soon following, she prayed that her request wouldn’t be the last adventure of their lives.  
  
~

It wasn’t until a few days later when an opportunity arrived. Beej had asked the members of the Revenge before it had left in the early morning, but they had no news of interest. Thankfully, this current morning there were sails on the horizon heading straight for their port. Beej was called from his current job of fixing some nets when a dock hand made him aware that a ship was on its way.  
  
“Here you are, sir.” His right hand, a man named Connor, said as he passed Beej a spyglass. Beetle looked through the device only to quickly lower it with a face splitting smile. He would recognize those sails coming towards them anywhere.  
  
“Men, we have company. Get ready and look alive, Lads. You, young’un, come here.” He pointed at one of the smaller hands. He was a young lad named Sky, that had to work something in town because he had lost his father to sea. Beej had promised his mother he’d keep him safe after taking him under his wing.  
  
“Aye, sir.”  
  
“Run up to my house. Tell my wife that she needs to come, she’d def want to see this.”  
  
“Right away.” The lad was off up the road like a gun shot and Beej chuckled before he moved to get the duties done. They had friends coming and he had to make sure all was done to bring them in safely and swiftly.  
  
~  
  
“Miss Shoggoth. Miss Shoggoth!” The lad hollered as he came up to his master’s front door and rapidly knocked so that she might hear him.

“Miss Shoggoth! Miss Shoggoth The master is calling for you, Miss!”  
  
Lydia jumped awake from the noise and groaned as she rolled over in the large plush bed. She could hear the lad outside, but she wanted to ignore it and sleep more. It was then she noticed that the sun was so high in the sky and she quickly got up in silent surprise.

“Goodness, what is wrong with me?” She groaned as she left the comfort of her sheets. She quickly rushed over to the wardrobe and grabbed her coat to cover herself. No need to give the lad at her door a fright of her in nothing but her sleep clothes. She fussed at herself as she pulled the coat over herself. It wasn’t like her to sleep in this late. She was usually up a few hours after Beej would leave for work, which was often before sunrise. This tiredness that had been affecting her was getting quite ridiculous.

“Yes?” She asked as she came to the door seeing the lad on her porch.  
  
“The master said you should come down the docks. That you’d want to see who is pulling in.” The young boy cheerily recited.  
  
“Oh, well give me one moment.” She hurriedly threw on some clothes and pulled on her boots before returning to the door. “Alright, let’s go.”

The two of them took off for the piers but once Lydia looked up and noticed the sails in the cove’s bay her face split. Her pace hurried and she left the poor lad in the dust to follow as fast as he could. She felt slightly guilty and yet she was more excited about arriving at the docks. Those grayish sails would always bring her such joy.

“Monstro!” She yelled out once she saw the Captain and dear friend. She jumped into his arms and he was quick to catch her, boisterously chuckling as he twirled her within his brownish arms.  
  
“Miss Lydia!” Vince and Doomie also called out as the two of them joined the group. Lydia laughed as she felt their arms throwing themselves around her and squeezing her in a warm hug.  
  
“What are you all doing here? It’s so wonderful to see you.” She asked as he looked at them all. Her critical gaze was quick to take in their state. They looked ragged and some of them seemed thinner than they should be but otherwise they were in okay condition, considering how long it had been since the last time she had seen them all. As her eyes swept over them all, it was also then that she noticed the state of the ship they had arrived on.  
  
She gasped as she took in the beautiful structure that had some nasty major dings and scratches covering the hull.  
  
“What happened?”  
  
“Ah, that Blooming Arse, Ben Hornigold attacked us.” Monstro explained with a regretful sigh after he pulled away from the happy entourage. “That damned plonker has picked up privateering for the blimey Spanish and figured he would get an easy amount of coin by taking us down. He got us pretty good, but we managed to disable him and get away.”  
  
“You all are safe, that’s all that matters.” Beej added as he dearly patted his friend upon his sunburnt shoulder. “We’ll get it fixed up. Our house has plenty of room for ya all if you need some resting. Lyds and I also have a proposition we wish to talk to ya about.”  
  
“Sounds good to me.” Monstro nodded with an eager grin, returning the hearty slap to Beej’s own shoulder. He then trudged back up the gang plank to the ship to help with the unloading. The ship was unloaded, then the repairs were discussed and begun right away. They had some good materials available, ones they had already had on hand and then there was some new ones. They had been left over from the work on the Revenge. Beej was more than giddy enough to fix up his baby with those first. The Kali may no longer belong to him by name, but this ship would be something he would always treasure.

It pained him to see it damaged. That was what he used to throw himself deeper into the work that needed to be done to get her right, as she always should be.  
  
By nightfall, a group of the Kali crew and the homeowners had converged in office for a discussion of what were the plans that the Shoggoth’s wished to share. Lydia was discouraged from asking them to go to Corona, especially since they had just succeeded in getting away from being captured. The Kali leaders, both new and old, listened to her fears but assured her they weren’t hindered from doing this kindness for the two former crew mates. Doomie and Monstro wanted to do this for them, no matter to the danger it could lead them too.

In the end the vote was cast, and the decision was final. The Mr and Mrs went to make sure the arrangements were taken care of, so that Beetle and Lydia could leave Pascual. The fear still heavily weighed on Lydia. Even so, as they were sailing out of the cove, Lydia was upon the bowsprit with a widened smile. She held on tightly to the rigging. There lay nothing ahead of her but the open ocean. Then behind her, Beetlejuice was at the helm, steering them on toward their heading.

As the sun beamed down from the heavens hitting her pale face and the salt filled sea breeze caressed her cheeks, only a pleasurable sigh could leave her. After so many months, she felt like she was home once again. 

~

“Beej, maybe I should go alone?” Lydia sighed as she looked over Corona from the Kali’s weather deck.

The journey had been a joyful few weeks, but it felt as if it all passed as fast as a wink of an eye. They were able to get into the cove, the grotesque Fort towering above them with an ominous look about it. They didn’t pull up at the dock under Lydia’s suggestion. It was less of a chance that the ship would be recognized. They had made the ship’s hull as altered as they could when they were at Pascual, but they still couldn’t take any risks.  
  
“Not a chance, Babes. Besides, how can I miss the chance to meet my mother-in-law?” Beetlejuice chuckled as he tied his hair beneath a bandanna before plucking a tri-colon hat from Vince.

The poor powder monkey merely shook out his black hair to cover his eyes but didn’t put up any argument. In all the time as pirates she never seen Beej wear a hat. She tilted her head as she observed him in it. It gave his eyes a mysterious shadow but otherwise it didn’t flatter him at all.  
  
Beej could feel her eyes on him, and he looked down shooting her a charming smile. “See anything you like, my dear?”  
  
“Not particularly.” Lydia teased with a roll of her twinkling eyes. It was true though. She liked him better when his hair was blowing in the sea breeze. Beej deeply chuckled with a shake of his head.

“Sir and Miss, before you go, I made these for you both.” Poppy said as he came up to them. “I got the idea from a hooded fellow we met this following year. Just throw them down hard to the ground if trouble comes bothering ya, but make sure to cover your mouth.”

He then handed them brown round objects that were hearty but light enough to hold in their hands. There were two for each of them. Lydia quickly put them in her pockets where she could easily get them before hugging the smaller crew mate.  
  
“Thanks, Pops. We hopefully won’t need them.” She yearned and prayed they wouldn’t have to use them, even though to have them made her feel a tad better.   
  
“We’re good to go, you two.” Doomie said as he passed them, heading over to the port side of the Kali. Beetle and Lydia followed before looking down over the railing to the long boat that they would be rowing to shore in.  
  
“You ready, Babes?” Beetle asked.  
  
“No, but the sooner we’re done with this, the sooner we can go back home. Let’s go.”  
  
~  
  
They were ashore faster than Lydia would have wished. Once their black boots touched the sandy beaches it felt nothing but wrong. She couldn’t believe she ever thought this place was home. This was never her home, it was only the place where she knew nothing but shame and despair.  
  
“You know the way, Lass. Lead on.”  
  
“When should we return here?” Monstro asked as he looked up to the two of them. Beej was going to give a reply, but his partner didn’t allow him. Lydia had already reached out and pushed the boat back out into the water.  
  
“Don’t bother, we’ll get back to the ship on our own.” Lydia ordered with a dead eye stare. She made sure they didn’t come back upon the sands then turned to walk up to the direction to the town. Beej was quick to follow, promptly falling in stride besides her. He was watching her as the two of them walked side by side and she could feel his curious gaze on her.  
  
“I don’t want them risking themselves further.” Lyds explained as they arrived at the streets and she led them on past the stone and mortar buildings. “This just all feels wrong, we shouldn’t have come here. I shouldn’t have-”  
  
“Babes…Babes, look at me.” He said as he made her stop. He wanted to say her name, show her that he understood that this was serious, but they had agreed upon the ship that he wouldn’t say her name in town. She didn’t want the people to hear her name, even though she should have been dead to them all. She knew her name wasn’t a common one so saying it would draw suspicion or enquiring looks.

The less there was of that the better it would be for the two of them.  
  
“Hey, listen to me…” He said as he gently held her and lovingly took her hand, giving it a comforting squeeze.  
  
“You’re going to make yourself sick worrying like this. Take a breath, a deep one for my sake, and just worry a tad less. It’s going to be alright, with us together we’ll be alright, don’t you trust that?” He whispered encouragingly to which all Lydia could do was sigh. She squeezed his hand as well and gave a slight nod of agreement.  
  
“I trust you.” She finally replied as she did her best to calm down her nerves. She took a deep breath and when Beej was satisfied that she wasn’t shaking like an autumn leaf any longer, he gestured for her to continue. She gave him one last grateful smile then once again began to lead them through the winding roads.

‘It’s just this town I distrust.’ Lydia made sure to not say but couldn’t help thinking.

~

“Hi, Mom.” Lydia nearly sobbed as they came up to the gravesite. It was at the back of the cemetery in the shade under a grove of trees. It was a well carved stone and Emily Deetz was still visible upon the front. Lydia fell to her knees before the grave after brushing away the dead leaves from the stone.  
  
“How do you do, Miss Thump.” Beetlejuice bowed with a polite smile. He tipped his hat but didn’t take it off just in case someone else was around. Lydia smiled as she heard him say her mother’s maiden name and not her married one.  
  
When she had gotten her pardon, it was the name Lydia had the Lord put on the document. It was as she always said, Lydia Deetz was dead, but she could live life with a new name. The name of her mother. It was a short amount of time before she took Beej’s name, but it was just enough that it made her feel happy. She had honored her mother in her own way.  
  
“Mom, I want to introduce you to my husband.” Lydia lightly giggled with a delighted smile after she reached back and took Beej’s hand, encouragingly tugging him closer.  
  
“He’s a little corny, but I…by Jaysus, I can’t describe to you how much I love this man, Mom. He…” Her eyes started to water anew as she turned to look up at him while her other hand clutched the stone with a loving hold.

If she closed her eyes, she could almost pretend she was holding her mother’s hand as she introduced Beej like he was an innocent crush.  
  
“…He gave me a life worth living. He gave me a place that I can finally feel like I belong. He accepted me for just being myself and I…I love him, Mom. He gave me a home.” She gratefully smiled wide and toothy. “It’s why I won’t be coming back again. There’s nothing for me here anymore. Not even you.”  
  
“Babes, we can…” He wanted to say that they could come back whenever she wanted but she stopped him with a simple shake of her head. She turned back to the stone nuzzling against it once more before sighing.  
  
“No, she understands. She knows I can’t come back here and I’m sure she wouldn’t want me too. There is nothing here for me any longer. I just had to see her one last time.” She stood up dusting the mud and the dead leaves from her pants. She turned to him before wrapping her muscular arms upon his shoulders, hugging him tightly. He wrapped her up in his embrace as he could feel her shaking with quiet sobs.  
  
“Thank you. I just had to see her again. But it’s okay now, I’m okay now. Take me home.”  
  
“Will do, but first…” He chuckled as he moved a parchment rough hand up to cup her face, leaning down so to kiss her filled with devoted passion. He was vibrating with love as he absorbed all she had said about him. Her description had soaked into his very bones and a blush had spread deeply upon his whiteish skinned face.  
  
There was no doubt that the two of them love each other, but for her to say it was a rare feat.

Neither of them was good at expressing how they felt, actions were more of their strong suit. They could show one another their feelings all day any day but words were hard for them. When they could say their feelings, it was a unique but desirable act. They treasured each time it happened, and Beej always fell deeper in love whenever his Lydia could bring herself to say what she felt for him.  
  
“I love you. Damn Babes, I love you so much…” He whispered for just the two of them. He had to say it. How could he not after all she had just said? He kissed her again and she affectionately giggled as she met the kiss while squeezing her arms tighter around his neck.   
  
“Miss Thump…” Beej chuckled as he turned back to the grave while wrapping an arm around Lydia. “I’m sure you will understand but we must be going. Before we do though I do want to promise you something. I promise you as a man, not necessarily a good man-”  
  
“That’s a lie.” Lydia added with her own laugh.  
  
“Your daughter is just being nice. But I promise you as a man, that I will look after her. I will keep her safe with every speck of my being. Your daughter says I gave her a home, but she gave me one as well. I never felt like I was living until I met her, so with all that I am, I will protect your daughter and give her a life that is worthy of her. Now if you’ll excuse us, it’s been a pleasure.” Beej nodded to the grave again, smiling as he could feel Lydia nuzzling into his shoulder.  
  
Lydia was silently grinning as her own heart swooned at the words of her husband. She hid her blush, but she was sure Beej could tell that her cheeks were covered in its rosy red bloom. 

“Lydia?”  
  
The world froze as they both heard the voice. The voice that had not come from either of them. She almost wished it was the dead who had rose to speak up, but they couldn’t even pretend it was that. The one who had spoken had a deep roughened voice, filled with surprise and grief. They both slowly turned to the voice. Lydia nearly deathly crushed Beetle’s neck as her eyes fell upon the one who had called out to them.  
  
Her father was only steps away from them. Matching hazel eyes that Beej had always loved about his partner was now glaring at the two of them with slow growing anger. He nearly growled at the sight. The man below them shouldn’t be allowed to have his lover’s eyes. All that stopped him from cutting those eyes out with his own rapier was the grip that Lydia had upon him.  
  
“Lydia? My god, Lydia? You’re alive! All these years you’ve been alive!” Charles Deetz shouted as he dared to step closer to them. He knew to keep his distance, but he was in shock. After all this time, his daughter had been alive. He couldn’t believe it. He was angry but his fatherly concern was overwhelming upon his features. He wanted to reach out for her, but she was backing away from him and pulling the man in her arms with her.  
  
“Beej…” Lydia gasped as she finally broke herself from her own shock. She would have stumbled backwards if not for her lover’s hold upon her, but she still made Beej back the two of them away from her father.

“Beej, we need to go, now.”  
  
She tried to turn them around to run but her father was just like her, or she was just like him. He was a stubborn old mule. His stubbornness and anger flowed over him as his own daughter defied him after all these years of suffering. He wasn’t about to let them leave just like that.  
  
“Lydia Deetz!” Charles bellowed into the space between them. He growled as he now tried to storm up to them. “You think you can just walk away from me! You owe me an-”  
  
Lydia acted as fast as a bolt of lightning, striking during an ocean storm. She pushed Beej behind her but sharply turned to face the coal haired man. She unsheathed her sword drawing it on him. She stopped him from advancing any closer since he had been coming up behind them. She pointed the weapon to her father’s chest with her own glare to mirror his.  
  
“Back off!” She seethed with a fierce growl. “I am not Lydia Deetz and I don’t owe you anything!”  
  
“How dare you, young lady. I am your father!” Charles barked as he ignored her sword, pushing it aside. She was quick to put it back between them. She was about to respond but she paused as she felt her husband at her back. Beej growled deeply next to her ear, beating her to a response with his eyes ominously staring at the Governor.  
  
“My good man, your old age must be ruining your hearing, because I believe my Lady here just said she has no relation to you.” Beetle remarked as he secretly took her hand. “We’ll be going now.”

“This has nothing to do with you, sir! Step away from her at –”  
  
“And we’re done here.” Beej threw the object that Poppy had given them, down upon the sacred ground between them and Charles Deetz.

One second, it was a clear sunny day then in the next, there was a fog they could barely see through. A cloud of smoke surrounded the three, but Beej had been prepared. He jerked Lydia out of the immediate fumes, thanks to the secure hold he had on her hand. They ran down the hill to the graveyard entrance.  
  
“Guards! Guards, stop them at once! Guards!” They could hear Charles shout between coughs. The smoke cloud had done its job giving them a chance to get away, but it was all too soon clearing thanks to the blusterous wind. They had just gotten past the entry of the cemetery when out of the corner of their eye they could see the red coated men. The navy men that were now running straight for them.  
  
“This way, Beej, come on!” Lydia yelled before taking off in the opposite direction of the combatants.

Beej was hot on her heels, letting her lead the way. She would know the town better than he could ever hope to. He had never dared to come to Corona before meeting Lydia, but she had lived on these streets. He could trust her to keep them both safe as they looked for a place to hide. They just had to keep out of sight until they could get back to the ocean.

They had both hidden into a shadowed stairway as they could hear the swarms of boots running along the roads. Alarm bells now rang out through the town letting the men at the fort aware that there was a man chase happening. The soldiers that were looking for them now was countless and if they didn’t disappear soon, they would be seen.

“Beej.” Lydia whispered as she pointed across the square.

There was a man waving his hands and when he noticed that the two saw him, he gestured to his shop. They scurried over and quickly ran into the shop knowing they only had moments of quiet. It wouldn’t take long before the navy would be rumbling down the door.

Beetlejuice threw himself against the closed door to catch his breath. Lydia meanwhile glared at the man who had given them sanctuary. It didn’t matter if he offered them a place. He may have lured them here just so he could collect a reward or whatever.  
  
“Why did you help us?” Lydia growled as she stood protectively in front of her husband. She held her sword to the lad who raised his arms up in innocence. He had to have been about Lydia’s age maybe a year or two older. He meant them no harm, so to show them as such he gently shook his head keeping his arms raised in the stale shop air.  
  
“You saved me on the way to school all those years ago, Lyds.” The boy chuckled as he stepped within the light streams that poured down into the room from the loose ceiling boards. His face appeared to her and Lydia’s eyes widened in recognition. “Never thought I’d get a chance to return the favor.”  
  
“Sean!” Lydia sighed in relief. She sheathed her sword before throwing her arms around the taller brunette hugging him swiftly. Beetle had blocked the door before coming up to them. He reached out to take the man’s hand in thanks.  
  
“We got no time for reminiscing, we need to be gone.” Beej added with a glance behind him to the shop door. He was sure he would get a more in-depth story about this lad later but now was just not the time. They had to get out of here.  
  
“Here.” Sean gestured as he moved to the back of his workspace. Beej followed along with him as he opened what appeared to be a simple closet only to then push the back open, revealing it to be a hidden trap door. “This will lead right to the inn at the end of the street. My cousin works there, tell her I sent ya and she’ll hide ya until ya need.”  
  
“This is bloody brilliant, man. Babes, lets-” Beej’s started to say but his voice died as he turned back around.

He noticed that Lydia had stayed put back near the front door instead of following the two of them. He couldn’t see but she was glaring at the wood as if it had officially offended her. The green haired man came up behind her, putting an arm upon her shoulder to turn her back about. She looked up at him with a mysterious look in her eyes. He studied it for only a moment before his scruffy mug fell in horror.  
  
He knew that look.

“No!”

“Beej, we both-”  
  
“NO! I said no! Do not look at me like that, Lyds! No, I will not hear of it!” He growled. He wanted to shout so loud that his voice reached the heavens, but he knew better. He kept his voice low and near quiet.  
  
“We don’t have the time to argue about it.” Lydia exhaled as she pushed him towards the back of the shop, but he was quick to land his hands upon her shoulders. He wouldn’t be moved, he even stepped closer toward his love, who had placed both hands upon his chest. Her nails dug into his weather-beaten coat. She wanted to push him away even more, but she knew it would be a waste of strength. The only way Beej would leave her would be if he decided to do so.

They were running out of time. They both could hear the boots pounding along the roads outside.  
  
“Go, Beej. They want me. They capture me and that gives you a chance to get back to the ship.” She was pleading as she glanced over his shoulder to Sean.

The blacksmith looked away knowing better than to get involved in any of this. He could offer the escape, but he also knew that he couldn’t force the man away from his lady. Not even if it was what the lass wished. Beetlejuice gripped Lydia’s chin, forcing her to look back up at him.  
  
“They capture you and they will kill you.” He scorned as his golden gaze bored into her muddy hazel eyes.  
  
“They won’t-” Lydia tried to reassure him.  
  
“You don’t know that, Lydia! Lydia Shoggoth has a pardon, Lydia Deetz doesn’t!”  
  
“Beej, they won’t kill me, I promise.”  
  
“You Do Not know that, and I will not lea-”  
  
“Beetlejuice, they won’t kill me,” Lydia finally screeched over him. As he fell into silence, she reached out taking his hand and pressed it to her stomach. “…because I’m pregnant.”  
  
This was not how she wanted to tell him.

Lydia watched as the little color that was in her husband’s face drained as fast as a tankard would be emptied when set in front of a parched sailor.

She hadn’t even wanted to tell him. She had hoped that they would be back upon the Kali sailing for Isle De Pascual when she broke the news. Once they had arrived at the grave, she knew she was going to tell him on their way home. It was why she had made the declaration that she wasn’t going to return to this bloody island. She wouldn’t let her child lay eyes on the rotten landmass that had never given her anything.  
  
Beetlejuice kept looking down at where his hand was pressed and then back up into her heart shaped face. The retired Captain felt like he couldn’t breathe, and he found his whole being trembling. Lydia was the one now gripping one calloused hand to his shoulder while the other squeezed his arm. She could feel him shaking under her hold. He gently began to shake his head before cupping her cheek in his own ashen hand.  
  
“Blimey Babes, you’re…you serious?” He at last asked with a gasp that sounded dare she say… jubilated. This was not the time for them to be discussing this, but she couldn’t help finding herself gently smiling and nod in affirmation. If this were a safer time, she could imagine they would both be kissing in over ecstatic joy at the news but that would have to wait.

The threat of death was the more important notion to consider first.  
  
She still found herself fully pulled against him as he leaned down to kiss her. He never thought they would be sharing this kind of news in a situation such as this but in this certain moment, he couldn’t bring himself to care. He was too halcyon to even bother thinking that if they didn’t move soon then they both would be hanging at the gallows. Jaysus above, he was so overwhelmed with ineffable happiness he wanted to gambol about the very shop they were trapped in like a giddy school-boy.  
  
A shallow cough made them jump apart, jostling them out of their delighted atmosphere. Lydia bit her lip in a giddy giggle but then nudged her hands at her husband’s shoulders once more. It was good that Sean had brought them back to the present. They would be able to celebrate this news later if and only when they were safe back upon the Kali.

The three of them jumped this time as shouting could be heard from just outside.  
  
“You must go now.” Sean softly called so that those beyond the door wouldn’t hear him.  
  
“Go, Beej, go now.” Lydia pushed now at Beetle’s chest and he barely tumbled a step backwards. He still shook his head not wanting to move though he looked over his shoulder at the blacksmith. His gaze shot back to Lydia reaching again for her cheek.  
  
“Lydia, you can’t ask me-”  
  
“They won’t hang a pregnant woman, I’ll be fine. Go! Get out of here and then we’ll figure it out from there, like we always do.”   
  
Beej inwardly growled as thunderous hands started pounding at the shop’s wooden door. He didn’t have a choice now. This killed him to do so but he knew she was right. Beetlejuice knew time was ticking against him, but he still leaned forward bringing her into a bruising kiss.  
  
“I will be back for you.” He promised with a helpless gaze.  
  
“I know you will, but you can’t save me if you’re captured so get, now!” She murmured out in frustration, and at last they finally backed away from each other. His eyes never left her before he turned to bolt to the back of the shop, disappearing into the hidden tunnel. Once he was out of sight, the secret concealed by the blacksmith, Sean opened the back door of the shop before coming back to her side.  
  
“You need to fight me. Hit me so that they won’t think you helped us.” She didn’t give him a warning as she punched him. She didn’t want to stab him, so she threw her sword away from them to make it look like she had lost it in the fight. He punched her back. They threw realistic jabs over and over before she stumbled but he grabbed onto her just as the soldiers broke down the door.  
  
~

“No!” Lydia screeched as she struggled in Sean’s grasp. “Let go of me! Get off you bloody Git!”  
  
“Arrest her! Put her in irons at once.” A voice commanded as the shop flooded with red. Soldiers separated them and she was instantly bound with cold steel around her wrists. The taller man who was obviously in charge came up to the two looking between them both before snarling.  
  
“Where’s the man that was with her?”  
  
“Apologies, Commodore.” Sean groaned as he brought a hand up to his injured jaw. “He got past me, he ran out my back door. I only managed to stop her from doing the same.”  
  
“What are you all standing here for!?” The nameless naval leader barked to the hordes of men that crowded into the small shop. “After him! I want him captured alive! He has an appointment with the gallows, just like this does.”  
  
The leader wearing a blue coat in a sea of crimson was looking down at her as if she was nothing more than a roach, one he was about to stomp the life out of.  
  
“Fat chance of that, you Wool covered Wally!” Lydia growled at him with terrifying anger.  
  
“Take her away.” He merely rolled his eyes before he rushed out of the back door to join his squadron.  
  
Sean watched as the soldiers led her away, wishing more than anything he could reach out for her. She didn’t deserve to be thrown in jail like a common criminal. He reluctantly stayed his hand because she just saved his life. He’d repay her another way in another life.  
  
~  
  
“Lydia Deetz, born on this island to one Emily and Charles Deetz. Died off the very shores of this same Island ten years ago and yet here you are standing before me.” A voice leisurely recited as a group of three navy sailors came down the stairs stopping before the holding cells. One cell in particular that was caging one Governor’s once again alive daughter.  
  
Lydia was casually leaning against the bars that held her, glaring up at the same soldier that had threatened her hours ago. Or more so the Commodore, as Sean had called him.  
  
“You seem awfully familiar, have I threatened you before, I mean other than in that piss pot called a shop.” Lyds commented with a darkened tone to her voice. She had to keep it up that Sean was no friend of hers. She didn’t want to be the reason that the navy would go back and harass him.  
  
The taller man who was in a blue coat unlike the men behind him, merely chuckled before looking over his shoulder. “Open this cell.”  
  
The other navy men behind him hesitated for a moment before doing as ordered. Once the door was wide open, he strode in as if he were a king. He instantly caught her hand that she had raised to slap him. The other guards were about to jump in, but he halted them.  
  
“Leave us.” The door was closed, and they were alone. Lydia backed up to the far corner of the cell though he simply followed her, trapping her body with his against the bars.

“Maybe you should get a good look at my face, see if you recognize me then.” He seemed to be teasing her and by the gods did she hate it.

Men like him was what she lived with ever since she had picked up a sword. No, it was even longer than that. Men like him that were all the occupants upon Corona, would always look down on her. She loved the strange and the unusual. She didn’t flinch at the bugs or the pests that climbed upon the soil, the sight of blood didn’t make her shake like a frightened babe, she took comfort in the things that made a lady her age vomit on sight.

Men here would never understand her, never look at her with any respect. It didn’t matter to her anymore because she had met someone who did understand her, unlike these maggots stuck upon this island. She had already found a place that accepted her, and a man who loved her for who she was.  
  
“You look like every other lily-livered Cunt that has met their deaths by my blade.” She answered as she made sure to keep as far away as she could. It was only inches thanks to being captured in a small iron pleated cage, but any room was a welcomed one.  
  
His chuckle turned dark as he quickly reached out, his hand closing around her pale throat. He shoved her heartily up against the bars and her brain rattled from the action. Her hands flew up grabbing his hands trying to force it away.  
  
“Did you say the same to my brother before he died?” He barked as he pushed her again. She could barely reply to him, but it mattered not to him. He answered his own question for her.  
  
“My brother left here for a simple mission for the king. Then his ship was blown up only several miles off the coast. And what do we also find out, oh that’s right. Lydia Deetz was upon the ship. We were sure everyone died in the explosion but no, here you are breathing under my palm. What happened to my brother? Tell me what happened to Aaron Stephen!”  
  
Ah, so that was all this was. She did recognize him now.

David Stephen, younger brother to Aaron Stephen. He had been in school with her just the same as Sean had. It seemed the family kept up the tradition of being nothing more than simple bullies, justifying their actions by wearing the King’s colors. He released her and she wobbled as she sucked air deeply back into her lungs. She was glad that he had choked her, if gave her an excuse to not answer him.

Not that she would have anyway.  
  
She was even saved from further torment for who else came rushing down the stone steps but her own father. His eyes widened as he took in his daughter’s state.  
  
“Get yourself away from her at once, Commodore.” Charles demanded. “My daughter has been signed over to house arrest under my watch. Get her out of that cell.” The soldiers that had arrived with him did as ordered. They rightly ignored David’s hardened gaze as they pulled Lydia away from him, escorting her out of her iron cage.  
  
“Bring her upstairs and put her in my carriage.” Mr. Deetz continued to bark demands, the lobsters following his every word. He turned back to David with a hardened look in his stormy eyes.  
  
“I understand you have a personal vendetta against my family, Captain Stephen, but my daughter is no longer your concern. Be sure to remember that.”  
  
“Not even if I buy her out from under your slippery grasp.” The younger man taunted, halting Charles before he turned to leave the jail.  
  
“How dare you, to assume-”  
  
“Once she has that bastard, she will be useless. No one will marry her.” David languidly explained as he circled the Governor. “She wouldn’t even be able to get a job in the local whore house! She will be as good as dead to you all over again. But here’s the thing, all that matters not a thing to me. I’m going to offer you triple the price you originally put out for her, Mr. Deetz, with conditions of course.”  
  
“And…” Charles quietly gulped as the offer flooded into his thoughts, swimming around like a crazed hungry shark. “And what are the conditions?”  
  
“Kill the bastard she bears, I will fill her with my own in due time. And after she takes my name you disappear from her life, which I’m sure is easy enough since you’ve done it once before.”

“You’re mad…”  
  
“Call me whatever you like Governor, but my offer stands.” The navy man gave a hearty nasty chuckle with an even more evil smirk upon his lips. “I am assured you will not hear something greater. You will sell your daughter to me, it’s only a matter of time, and I am if not anything a patient man.”  
  
Commodore Stephen left with the words hung in the stale air. The space the man had just left now felt deathly cold even with the beating down Caribbean sun. Charles Deetz seemed petrified allowing such an offer including the atrocious demands meddle in his thoughts until all was settled again.

The mother of Lydia rolled over in her own grave as Charles bounded up the steps, considering taking such an offer. He wouldn’t do so immediately, of course. He had his own questions and answers he wanted to get out of his daughter first, but the proposal wouldn’t dare leave his thoughts. There was time though, time to ignore such a request, before he unjustifiably had to bloody his own hands with his grandbaby’s blood.

~

Monstro was scouting out the deck when he drew his sword. He had heard scuffling along the port side of the Kali. It had long past fallen to night with the stars twinkling above them. The crew had only lit a few of the lamps to give light to the dark wooden deck.  
  
“Who’s there!” He barked out as he fearlessly stalked towards the noise. His hand tightened around the cutlass he had drawn from his belt.

“It’s me.” Beetlejuice quietly answered as he clambered up the boards nailed along the side of the Kali, his pace slow, no thanks to the bitter chill of the soft lapping ocean. He had swum from the town to the ship under the cover of darkness. That already alerted Monstro that something was wrong. His fears were confirmed when he could only hear his old friend and not another young lass besides nor behind him.  
  
Monstro ran to where Beej was climbing, helping his friend over the railing and to find his footing upon the main deck. The man was soaked to the bone and in the lanterns light Monstro could see that Beej was shaking. Whether it be from anger or the cold of the ocean, the Captain didn’t know. He could possibly guess both were the cause for sure.  
  
“Doomie, to me, man!” The brown skinned pirate called.  
  
“Shh, keep your voice down!” Beetle quickly hissed as he pushed his doused coat off his shoulders. They were some-what close to other vessels at the docks. He didn’t know how well the navy would be looking for him. They were surely still out looking for him, but he wouldn’t know if they would be wise enough to search the ships in the cove.   
  
“Beetle, what happened out there?” Monstro asked as he passed Doomie the lantern. He then stepped up to his friend to help him get off the other drenched articles of clothing. Beetle didn’t fight him, just got out of his attire so not to die of the freezing salt water. Only when he was down to his pants, which he would change later, did he run a hand through his dripping green and black locks.  
  
“Her father caught us at the grave.” He confessed before he let out an exhausted sigh. “The bastard sicked the navy dogs on us. We ran through town and someone gave us shelter. When… when we were hiding, she told me to go on and get out of there. I tried to tell her that I wouldn’t, but she wouldn’t hear of it. She made me leave! She’s…damnit above, she’s fucking pregnant. She-”  
  
When he didn’t hear his two closest friends react to what he had just said, he paused and glanced over at them. In the little light that was around them he could see they wouldn’t meet his eyes. The two of them had bitten lips like guilty lads that caught their parents having sex. The realization hit him like a demon wave out on the open ocean.  
  
“You knew?” He whispered as his golden eyes hardened.  
  
“Beej…”/ “Mate…” They both tried to answer but it was in both of their voices. The confirmation to his question was thick like honey upon their tongues.  
  
“YOU BOTH KNEW!” He growled, making sure to keep his voice down, even while his veins boiled in righteous anger. “You knew and you didn’t tell me! Fuck that, you knew, and you let her go ashore!”  
  
“We couldn’t stop her even if we wanted to, Mate.” Monstro affirmed as they all knew it was true.

Once they had pulled into port, there was nothing that was going to stop Miss Lydia from walking off of the ship. Nothing short of tying her up and throwing her in the brig, not that they could ever do that to the Ladyship. There was no way to stop her from marching out into the town without alerting their old friend that something was amiss.

“The two of us spotted her out on this deck on our third night out to sea. The poor lass was throwing up over the starboard railing. I had never seen the Misses sea-sick while with us, so I was rightly worried.” Monstro recalled that night with a slight shudder. He had never been so scared for the lady of the Kali.

When he had first heard her, he had nearly been sure that she was dying.   
  
“I had come up to her to ask if she was alright but once she saw me, she looked downright ashamed at having been caught then just outright confessed to me. She said it had been going on for a while and she finally caught on that she must be with child. Doomie was at the helm and was calling out to ask what was going on. She made us both promise to not tell you.”  
  
“You both should have told me anyway!” Beej hissed with clenched alabaster teeth.  
  
“We weren’t going to break the Miss’s promise.” Doomie quietly yelped as he glared up at the taller buccaneer.  
  
“Aye, she is our friend just as you are, mate.” Monstro added with a nod which caused his thick mahogany locks to fall within his eyes. He huffed as he pushed back behind his ears. “We wouldn’t break our word to her.”  
  
“Damnit!” Beetle cussed as he turned away from them both. If it had been light and he was not being hunted, he for sure would have punched the mast with venomous anger.  
  
“Mate, listen to me, we will get her back. I’m guessing she sent ya off because she said they wouldn’t hang a pregnant woman, correct?”  
  
“Aye.”  
  
“Well, it’s true, they wouldn’t. They’re men of law and the law says you can’t, so we got time to go get her. We need a plan.” The younger Captain explained though he knew it was doing little to help the retired captain’s fears.  
  
“Monstro, I’m not worried about them hanging her. That is the least of the problems!” Beej growled as he pushed past the two of them and stood over by the ship’s railing. His eyes were locked upon the giant fort up on the cliffs of the island. The circular garrison that was currently holding the love of his life and…and their new child.

“They could drug her, or cut out the baby from within her, or tons of thousands of other things. Damnit, I shouldn’t have left her! I should have just-” His fingers dug into the wooden guard rails as his blood fueled itself with hellfire fury, all aimed at no one but himself.

How could he just leave her like that?  
  
“If you would have stayed, you woulda been hanging when the sun went down, Miss Lydia would still be where she be, and we wouldn’t know any better about what happen to the both of ya.” The shaggy haired pirate spoke up as he came closer to place a hand on his mate’s shoulder. One to comfort his old friend and two to keep him from jumping back into the cove to swim up to the navy filled stronghold.

“It was the best course of action. Miss Lydia knew that, its why she sent ya away. She made a plan in the moment, she is the smartest out of the two of ya after all.”  
  
“Aye, aye.” Doomie added as he began to collect Beej’s discarded clothing to take them down below deck. It was best to get these dry as soon as possible. His friend would need them when he went to go save their Ladyship.  
  
“That she is.” Beetle whispered in agreement as he glanced once again up at the fort before running a hand down his still salty wet face.

They were right. She had been right. If he had stayed, he would already be dead. The navy wouldn’t have wasted any time in hanging him. They would have even ignored his pardon and then they would have found some other reason to kill him. Then that would have been it. His friends wouldn’t know what happened and Lydia would be trapped upon this island once again.  
  
She may be back upon it now, but she wouldn’t be for long. Not if he had anything to say about it. His oldest friend was right though, they would need a plan. If they had any hope to get her back home, then they would need to think things through. He slammed his palm down upon the wooden barrier before standing up straight. He sent one last glare to the damned structure before turning about on his dampened hampers.  
  
“We need to get out of the cove, now. If they notice us leaving in the sunlight, then they will most likely realize that I’m on board and will give us chase. If we leave now, then we have a chance that they won’t notice a thing.” Beetle shook himself of the remaining ocean water upon his portly form. He then began walking along the decks with only one true destination in mind.  
  
“I would love nothing more than to stay close, but that’s just foolish. Once we’re gone from this cove in the sunrise if we hang about and then they spot us, it would be all for not. We need to go over the horizon then come about. We’ll make a heading for the side of the island staying along the side and hopefully out of sight of the fort. We need to…”  
  
Beej suddenly realized what he was doing. He had just about to put his ashen hand back upon the helm, but he had rightly paused. He turned to Monstro who throughout the whole speech had offered no arguments. In fact, the younger pirate was doing nothing but following him with a sincere wide smirk carved upon his reddish lips. Despite his fellow hearty not putting up a fuss, he couldn’t be the one barking orders anymore. It wasn’t his place. He had been so focused on getting Lydia back that he hadn’t even realized that he had fallen back into his old captaincy habits.  
  
“Sorry, mate…” He had the sense to look slightly ashamed as he offered his words with an apologetic shrug. Monstro teasingly chuckled and heartily smacked his taller friend upon his back.

“Beej, you’ve been captain as long as I have known ya. The only reason I’m in charge is because of ya. And you can bet your bottoms, I’d follow you to the depths and back any and every day. This will always be your ship so lead us where we need to retrieve the Ladyship, Capt’n. So, as you were saying, matey?”  
  
Beej smiled with wordless thanks as he took his friend’s arm in his own and brought him into a hug. Monstro understood how much this meant to him as it meant just as much to the brown-haired buccaneer as well. Lydia was a friend to them all, and the Captain would want her saved just as much as Beetle would. If it entailed that Beej was taking up his mantle of captain once again to achieve such a task, then Monstro wouldn’t dare put a fuss. It was what he wanted. There would never be any doubt, he would gladly follow his friend’s command once more.  
  
“Men, to your stations. We’re getting out of this cove.” Beetle commanded, again keeping his voice quiet so not to attract the attention of the ships that were also in the harbor. His command was carried out to all by thanks of Monstro and Doomie, who had come back just catching the end of the conversation.

As the Kali silently and without notice, sailed out into the open ocean, Beej glanced again to the circular fort high up in the starry night sky. His eyes solidified in a deathly glare. He lowly growled at all the soldiers up there that were possibly at this very moment even daring to lay their hands on his wife. He imagined each of their watery deaths with a hidden smirk. He dejectedly looked away so that they may not crash, but not before letting out a determined sigh.  
  
“I’m coming for you, Babes, I’m coming for you both.”

~TBC~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't kill me, just hit 'next chapter!'  
> Please comment if you have enjoyed I'd love to hear what you all think. 
> 
> Lydia's mother's name is based off bump, like a bump in the night but thump hehe. Yes Poppey was talking about Edward Kenway. I've been playing a lot of Assassin's creed Black Flag to get inspiration to finish this.


	8. Sequel Part Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning right now; If you like Charles Deetz as a character you will hate him in this sequel. I made him the way I did because I had too. That is the only apology I am offering you and it is your full warning. Brace yourself if you go on to read.  
> The Ending at last, I hope you all enjoy!

“Get in there.” Charles growled as he led Lydia into her old room with a firm hold on her upper arm.  
  
It looked just as it had. She was surprised it was not covered in a layer of dust. No, every surface was clean and would be shining in the sun as it always had been when she had been the sole occupant of this room. There was still a thick rug that was soft under her feet, and a hearth that used to hold warm fires upon cooler Caribbean seasons. The room was now nothing more than a mausoleum capturing what Charles had before Lydia was pronounced dead at sea.

There was only one blazing difference now. The only distinction now was that the windows were firmly closed, and it didn’t take much to realize they had been nailed shut. She could also guess the servant entrances had been as well.  
  
“Oh look, another cage.” She sarcastically sighed as she strolled over to one of the barred windows.  
  
“You have no right to complain, Lydia. Do you have any idea what you have done to this family, the shame you have brought on us!” Charles barked after closing the doors behind him.  
  
“‘Shame on the family’! Are you bloody serious right now-”  
  
“Watch your language, young lady!”  
  
“Oh please! You wanna talk about right, well I got news for you, you have no right to order anything from me! I’m not your daughter, I haven’t been since I died ten years ago. No, no forgive me that’s wrong. You haven’t been my father since my mother died.” She spat as she turned about away from him. She stared at the boarded up view but it didn’t matter because she would look anywhere besides the man that dared to call herself her father.  
  
“Say whatever you want, Lydia but you are my daughter. You will stay in here until I make up my mind with what to do with you, and until that bastard is out of your womb.” He left her before she could turn to roar at him that her child was no bastard, but she held her tongue.  
  
She knew her words would only fall on deaf ears. Charles Deetz was deaf to the words of his daughter for several years now. It seemed her death hadn’t changed that, not that she was surprised. She walked over to the bed and fell upon the fluffy mattress and whitened sheets. She ignored the feel of the comfortable furniture as she cupped her still flat stomach and tears broke from her eyes to roll down her cheeks.  
  
She knew Beetlejuice wouldn’t leave her here. She knew somehow and in some way, Beej would come and save her. She knew it all, but fear was a terrible current that easily captured her up and dragged her down to terrifying depths.

Fear grasped her thoughts that she would die here, and her babe would be killed right after her. She would die alone with no Kali crew, no friends, no husband by her side. The wails of her child would be the last thing she would hear.  
  
A sob shook her very soul as those thoughts consumed her.  
  
~  
  
“Charles, what on earth was that all about?” Delia Schlimmer shouted. She had looked on after she had come from the parlor watching her fiancé drag a dirty dressed girl up to the room that hadn’t been touched since she moved into the manor. The girl looked an awful lot like Lydia Deetz but that couldn’t be the case because the girl was supposed to be dead.  
  
“This whole time…this damn whole time…” Charles grumbled as he marched past Delia into his study. He was quick to pour and slam back a crystal cut glass of dark whiskey. He was even quicker to pour another, drinking it just as greedily.  
  
“Charles…” Delia inquired again, reminding Mr. Deetz that she had asked him a question.  
  
“That was Lydia, my daughter. This whole bloody time she’s been alive. For ten years I’ve suffered here in mourning and she dares to be alive. Then to insult me further she’s damn pregnant, with a pirate’s bastard child, though she won’t confirm it.” Charles explained as he slumped down into his plush office chair bringing a hand up to his forehead.

He brought the bottle closer and continued to pour drink after drink.  
  
“I had gone to the gravesite and she was just there. In the arms of a man and…she was just standing there as if she had never died. They…That pirate she was with attacked me and they tried to run with her down to town. I called out for the guards. They managed to capture her but the man she was with cowardly left her behind. I’m sure the soldiers will find him in time. They arrested her but can’t kill her because she’s with child, I had them turn her over to me.”  
  
Delia listened with only half an ear as she turned, looking up to the firmly locked door upon the second floor. The woman had met and lived with Charles only after a year of him losing his daughter to the sea disaster. Charles was quick to ask for her hand, but they had yet to marry since she had managed to get him to wait for such an affair.

While living with him it wasn’t hard for Delia to find that the man was lost to mourning and the sweet relief of an alcoholic bottle. He was always lying to her, telling her half truths, not that she ever made him face them. She didn’t so to keep a roof over her head. She knew what he was telling her now was his version of the truth and if she wanted to really know what was happening, she would have to be cunning. She would have to make it look as if she was in agreement with him, which was no longer a feat for she had kept up the act for all these years.

“Oh, you poor man,” Delia sighed in slight despair as she came closer, caressing his face. She moved to pour him another drink and, although what she wished to do was throw the whole bottle out the window, she regrettably handed over the glass.  
  
“You’ve had such a hard day, we’ll have to make sure to make the night an easier feat, won’t we?” She teasingly joked before gently kissing his forehead. “But since we have a guest now it’s my job as the lady of the house to make sure they’re comfortable. I mean, I’ve never seen a woman so horribly dressed. I can’t rightly sit still knowing such ghastly clothes are under our very roof.”  
  
“I don’t want… you shouldn’t be talking to her.” He drunkenly grunted with a slurred tongue. He was already lost to the dark amber liquid and was barely realizing what he or she was saying.  
  
“Oh, my dear, what harm could it do?” Delia rolled her green eyes as she slipped into his lap running a sharpened nailed hand through his thick salt and pepper hair.  
  
“I’ll be quick, worry not. You just stay here and don’t think about it any longer. Then when I’m done, I say we retire early and then I can properly make sure you needn’t have to think anymore tonight.” She chuckled knowing he realized what she was saying by his pleased smile. She kissed him messily so to distract him while she moved up from his lap.  
  
With one last glass poured for him, this one deeper than the rest, she took the bottle to put it away. Hastily she left the office closing the door to leave him in his drunken stupor. She was even quicker to gather her supplies before going up the stairs to see their new house resident. She had to be quick about it before Charles sobered up.  
  
Lydia had curled up on her old bed, wishing more than anything that her goose filled mattress would change to her lumpy cushion that never stopped rocking. She heard a key in the door lock, but she didn’t bother sitting up or moving. It was most likely just her father again hoping to yell at her some more. She wouldn’t fight with him nor even bother responding. He was nothing to her anymore.  
  
“My goodness, you look just like her.” That wasn’t a voice she recognized or expected. She immediately rolled so she could look over her shoulder. Her critical gaze fell onto a woman in an ugly purple dress and with hair a rich blood tint to it.  
  
“Oh, I see, you have Charles eyes, but I must say your paintings certainly don’t do justice, even with you in those dreadful clothes.” Delia commented as she pulled in her basket of supplies before making sure to relock the door.  
  
“I can live without fashion advice from strange women.” Lydia bit back as she sat up settling a chilly glare upon the lady who was walking closer to her.

Delia lightly chuckled as if the gaze had no effect on her. It didn’t for Delia was used to all kinds of looks.  
  
“Well your attire aside, you’ll be with us for a while so I should introduce myself so that I’m not that strange anymore. My name is Delia, it’s wonderful to meet you, Lydia Deetz.”  
  
“I suppose I should be thankful my father waited until after my death to find a woman to replace my mother.”  
  
“Ha.” Delia rightly laughed. “I couldn’t possibly replace that woman because he never shuts up about her. He never stopped talking about you either. I feel I know you and Emily better than I could ever hope to know Charles.”

“I don’t understand.” Lydia seethed as she arose from the bed crossing her arms over her chest. “Am I supposed to feel sorry for you?”  
  
“Goodness, no. I don’t feel sorry for me so why should you?” Delia retorted. She could tell this girl was just being cruel because she suspected that she was filling the evil stepmother role, just like in a fairy tale novel. That was hardly the case, but Lydia wouldn’t know that until they got to know each other, and Delia was patient. She could deal with the harsh words for now.  
  
Lydia fell silent as she observed the woman with slight disdain. She wouldn’t know the backstory of this lady who had made herself comfortable in the house, but she could tell she must have been a noble of some kind. She had the posture and look. Lydia could admit why her father had attached himself to her, because even Lyds could say she was a fetching woman. She could use a less gaudy dress, but she still had some good features about her. An attractive face and eyes to match.

Lydia didn’t know how much she could trust this woman, or if she should at all. She would need an ally to get out of here. She didn’t know if the cooks that had been here when she was alive were still here. She would be wary and cautious for now, but she could be less of an arse. After all her righteous anger was with her father, not this flashy woman before her.  
  
“Why are you here?” She finally quietly asked as she dolefully looked upon her.  
  
Delia affectionately smiled as she held up her basket of supplies between them. “You’re our guest, so I brought you some things to make you feel more comfortable. New dress and some fruits. Charles also mentioned you were pregnant. He didn’t mention how far along you are, but this has got to be your first time right?”  
  
Lydia’s hand distinctly went down to cover her stomach, but she sighed and nodded. “Yeah.”  
  
Delia’s quiet but still unexpected squeal startled her. “That’s so exciting. I have some ointments here as well that I think would help and I’d like to share ya some tips with ya if you wish to hear them. It must be scary being all alone with a first-time pregnancy and I’d like help.”

“I don’t get it though,” Lydia’s eyes hardened again, and a frown scrunched her pretty face. “Why would you be so kind to me, why are you helping me? You might have heard stuff from him, but you really don’t know me, so why?”  
  
Delia nodded before stepping around the girl. She walked up to the bed and sat down upon it then set the basket at her feet. She settled her green eyes back up on the long-lost daughter and woefully smiled with a simple shrug.  
  
“It’s because I don’t want you to see me as your enemy. I don’t want to be that. I want to help you as much as I can.”  
  
“But…” Lydia sighed as she ran a hand through her coal hair. “I just don’t get it.”

“I don’t suspect you too.” Delia chuckled as she looked down upon her lap.

“You should know that after you died, Charles became what this town would call a disgrace. He barely came out of this manor and whenever he did, he would be at the bars, drinking until he passed out. It’s how I met him, or more so where I met him. How I got to know him was that I took him home from one of the bars he had ended up in and just tried to sober him up. You can assume he tried to have sex with me that night, but I rightly punched him in the jaw before tucking him in bed. I stayed and slept in one of the guest rooms.  
  
“That morning we got to know one another, and he allowed me to stay. I tried to take care of the manor to make myself useful and give myself something to do. He had sent all the help away, so no one was here to do anything. I tried to take it on my own, but I think when he wasn’t drunk he could see how much I was struggling so he hired a few but some new hands. Since I couldn’t focus on the house, I focused on your father instead. I tried to sober him up but I…”  
  
Delia went silent as she sucked in a deep breath and clutched her hands in her skirts. The memories of the first few years of arguments crawled through her thoughts and a tremble shook her silently.  
  
“I tried for so many years, Lydia, to help him. He needed to move on not just from your mother’s death but yours as well. I tried my best. It did no good. Your father is lost to the bottle. I could understand a year of mourning and then the sting of death never truly leaving, but your father refuses to move on from mourning. I think losing you was the last hay straw that kept your father sane. He’s okay to deal with most days but others he’s one bar fight away from being thrown in jail just as you were.”  
  
“Has he….” Lydia dared to ask the unsaid question for a true stroke of justifiable sympathy pierced through her. “Has he hit you?”  
  
“Yes.” The word hung in the air and Lydia was filled with valid anger. She never ever imagined her own father to turn into one of the men she had heard horror stories about. A man raising a hand against a woman, other than for self-defense, was nothing but a horrible monster. Her glare turned to the lock doors and if looks could kill, Charles would have been struck dead from those blazing hazel eyes.  
  
“Why don’t you just leave?” Lyds asked after a quiet moment passed between them.  
  
“Can’t, would love to, but can’t.” When Delia could see the younger woman’s understandable confusion, she sighed before going on to explain.

“I’m a woman with no other options, Lydia. I was a wench before I met your father and not a particularly good one at that. I used to be a noble woman, but my father gambled and got mixed in with a lot of nasty people. They attacked our house, my father was killed, and I was left out in the elements to barely survive. I can’t have children because of what they did to me. So, no nobleman will have me because I can’t give them an heir and while working in the houses men will barely look at me. I was lucky to have met Charles, he keeps a roof over my head. I can put up with him if it means at the end of the day, I can have a hot meal and a warm bed.”  
  
“I’m…” _I’m sorry_ was on the tip of Lydia’s tongue but the words died as Delia quickly shook her head. She came up to the younger woman and hesitantly took her hand.

“You can think whatever you want about me, but I’m not your enemy here. I can’t save your father but maybe I can help you. I can tell you don’t want to stay here so sure think what you wish of me, but I am here to help. If there is anything you can trust me on is that I just want to do what I can to help.”  
  
Lydia still wished to be wary but after that confession she just couldn’t. Jaysus, she should be hesitant to accept because she had lived in a lair of liars for all these years, but the woman didn’t give the obvious signs of a lie. She had already admitted she had diminutive loyalty to Charles so that was also a reason to agree. Lyds sent a silent prayer to whoever was listening that she hoped she wouldn’t regret this before deeply sighing.  
  
She moved her hand around in Delia’s taking in a firm handshake. “Alright, I trust you. Help me get out of here.”  
  
“I will do what I can,” Delia agreed, shaking the girl’s hand as well. “Now, what’s the plan?”

~

Each side of the coin made plans on how to get back to the other. The Kali was docked just out of sight of the cove and a selected group of the crew had gone ashore. The rest to make sure the Kali stayed out of the navy’s hand. They would need the ship to get back home once they got the ladyship. Lydia explained to Delia on who she should look for when going about the market of town.  
  
Beetlejuice protested when he was told to stay put in Sean’s blacksmith shop. They had taken up residence between the shop and the inn on the other side of the tunnel, which was working in their favor. The inn was where all the news of the town was spread with a plague. A single tankard was all that was needed to get the gossip flowing.  
  
It made sense though for Beetle to stay out of the sight. The wanted posters for him were everywhere, while there were none say for someone like Doomie or Monstro. Most, if not all of the crew of the Kali, were nowhere as near recognizable as Beetle was so it was the wiser choice for Monstro or Doomie to search the streets for the news of Miss Lydia. News they couldn’t obtain at the inn.  
  
It was how they met Delia. Delia had listened with rapt attention as Lydia described the people who might be looking for her. There was really no need though for the two stood out among the crowds to anyone who truly paid attention. Anyone who had been on the island as long as Delia had been knew what to look for to pick out locals from travelers. Despite knowing to look for someone who was tall and dark skinned as well as someone who was shorter than her with hair so blonde that it was almost a shade of a pearl, she knew these men were the ones she would want to talk to.  
  
“Excuse me, gentlemen.” Delia spoke up as she had snuck up on them. The shorter one’s, Doomie if she remembered what Lydia had said correctly, hand instantly went to his coat pocket, no doubt to grip a loaded pistol. The taller one quickly sent him a warning glance, so not to give them away. They did not need to cause a commotion out in the middle of the streets.

“Yes, Miss?” Monstro replied while causally tipping his hat to her. “How may we help you?”

“I believe I can actually help you, that is if you are who I have heard you to be?” Delia murmured so that those around them could see she was having a conversation with them, but not hear what was being exchanged.  
  
Doomie and Monstro shared a confused glance to one another before the taller one tilted his head peculiarly. “And you heard what exactly?”  
  
“Are you one, I believe it was, Sir Monster and Dominic?” The two dressed up pirates went still in surprise before leisurely looking about them. They had to see that again no one was paying attention to them. This lady may be who they were hoping to meet after these long stressful days of searching.

Monstro was the one to clear his throat and look seriously into her eyes. “Do you know of somewhere we may talk about this privately?”  
  
“Of course, good sirs. Follow me if you please.” Delia smiled as she led the way to seedy parts of the port town. More alleyways, more darkness even in the middle of the day, most importantly less ears that would listen in. Delia knew them since she had to use them for a living once upon a time in her life. Once they were off of the main street Doomie was the one that spoke up first.  
  
“You know the Misses.” The navigator asked with a pleading look.  
  
Delia tilted her head and Monstro could tell she was confused so he added, “Mistress Lydia, you must know her because it’s the only way you can know Doomie’s name?”  
  
“Oh yes, my name is Delia and I’m Charles Deetz fiancée.” She paused as the both of them hardened their gaze. “…I have no loyalty to him. I just want to get Lydia out of that house.”  
  
“Good, because we want her back.” Doomie seethed but Monstro placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder.  
  
“My friend is not wrong, she is our lady and we want her back with us. So, what can we do, how can we get her out?”  
  
“I have a few ideas but there is something you all need to know. I…” Delia shuddered as she deeply sighed. “…I haven’t told Lydia because that girl is already so scared and alone, but I heard from Charles when he was in one of his drunken stupors what he plans to do with Lydia. He…It’s so horrible…”  
  
“Please, go on…” Monstro encouraged.  
  
“He… plans to kill the babe when it’s born and then practically sell Lydia to the Commodore.”  
  
“HE CAN-” Doomie tried to roar but the Captain was quick to slap his hand over his friend’s mouth.

“Doom, I understand your anger, but it won’t do any good to any of us if you bring the whole fort down upon us.” Monstro growled as he held the navigator close to him until he could feel Doomie stop shaking in dangerous fury.

Delia watched on as the two of them calmed from her news, she could understand. She had felt the same when she had first heard Charles mutter such a declaration with a drunken tongue. She knew Charles was pass saving but she didn’t realize how lost in common sense he was. Monstro released Doom when he felt it was safe to do so before turning back to Delia.  
  
“Miss, can you come with us? There is someone who needs to hear what you just told us. Are you able to follow us?” The brown-haired man asked with a saddened frown settle over his features. Doomie was practically vibrating in now silent rage but Delia knew it was validated.  
  
“Yes, lead on.” They had her follow them all the way to the back of the blacksmiths shop. Monstro knocked while Doom looked about them no doubt seeing if someone was watching them. Sean opened the door and allowed them in. They walked to the near front of the shop and Monstro stood in front of her.  
  
“I’m going to cover your eyes. Doom will cover your ears, alright?”  
  
“Yes.” Delia knew she didn’t have any choice but to agree. It made sense with the navy out for your head you could never be too careful. The men covered her senses but were fast to pull away. When they did a man that certainly was not there before had appeared in the room.  
  
“Ma’am, this is-”  
  
“Oh, there is no need.” Delia chuckled as she walked past the two buccaneers up to the new pirate with a smile. Her green eyes swept over his entire form before reaching up to touch his cheek. “Goodness, you are exactly as Lydia described you. ‘Hauntingly handsome’, I am inclined to agree with her.”  
  
Beej growled as he captured her hand before it could touch his ashen skin. His grip nearly crushed her manicured velvety hand. “Where is she?”  
  
“Oh, there’s that temper that she mentioned, but I understand. She’s in the manor, locked in her old room.”   
  
“Then why are we still down here, why are we not getting her back?” Beetle seethed as his gaze jumped to them all.  
  
“Mate, there’s more…” Monstro added as he nudged his head back to the fancy lady in front of the green haired sailor.  
  
“Charles has plans for Lydia when the babe is born…” Delia started as she bit her lower lip before giving a small shake of her head. No matter how many times she had to say it, it was never any easier. “He plans to kill the babe and sell Lydia to the Commodore.”

Delia had never seen the color drain from a person’s face before. The man’s face was one second full of life with his cheeks red from anger, then in the next his face was a whitish tint even deeper than his ashen skin tone. She almost would have sworn she would be able to see through him if he went any paler. She nearly reached out for him in quiet fear that he was about to faint.

Arms wrapped around her jerking her back as Monstro stepped closer to his oldest mate, holding up hands in innocence. “Beej…”  
  
Beetlejuice unsheathed his sword turning about on his black boots to storm out of the shop. Monstro was quicker wrapping his long tan arms around the man so to stop him.  
  
“GET YOUR FUCK-” Just as with Doomie, Monstro covered Beetle’s mouth to keep his voice from ringing out to the heaven’s. The two men struggled for what seemed like minutes, but it was perhaps shorter that it all seemed. It came to that Monstro was wrapping his friend in a comforting half hug while Beetle was infuriately shaking.  
  
“I’ll kill him…I want to fucking kill him…How…How can he…He’s a dead man…” Beej was mumbling like a prayer, incensed that a father would dare do that to his own blood. Monstro kept his hold upon him to keep him steady.  
  
“I know, mate, I know but it’s not happening…” The new Captain whispered, hoping to sooth Beetle as well as he could. “She’s still early in her time, mate, remember that. He won’t touch her before we get to her. Nothing will happen to her, and it won’t do any good for you to blaze in there like a fire ship, mate. You can’t help her if you’re captured.”  
  
“I want to save her from that fate just as you all do.” Delia spoke up as she moved away from the navigator’s embrace. “I can help you get into the estate, but you have to give me time.”  
  
“How long?” Beej sighed as he hated thinking of his wife up there any longer than she had to be.  
  
“I need two days and then on the next night I should be able to get you inside. I’ll make sure of it. You have to meet me at the back of the house. There’s a section of the back garden wall that is still broken from when a pirate attacked Corona about three years ago. You get into the garden and I’ll let you all into the manner.”  
  
“What about guards, sentries that will shoot at us?” Doomie asked after he stepped closer with a critical gaze hardening his features.  
  
“There are none.” All of them stared at her, taken aback by such a statement, so she sighed with a fond exhale. “You all don’t seem to understand how unpopular Charles has become here. The navy men ignore him, and we have only a handful of workers upon the grounds.”  
  
“But…But he’s the governor.” Monstro whispered sharply, features still settled in deep confusion.  
  
“And he’s one bottle away from being thrown in jail just as Lydia had been.” Delia assured them.

“Alright, three days.” Beej agreed though his face hardened as he strode up to the Lady of the Deetz Manor.

He loomed over her with a fierce but no less deadly expression. His voice was chilling with unexplainable rage as he downright snarled. “But if you dare steer us wrong, or you have the guts to betray us, be assured that there will be nowhere in this world you can hide from me.”  
  
Delia only smiled sadly as she nodded her head. “I understand. Three days, until then.” The Ladyship was then led out of the shop and when it was assured that no one was watching she made the trek back to where the carriage would be waiting for her. Once she was inside the cart it was then she could feel her hands trembling. The man had terrified her after all it seemed. Then again as she brought her own hand up to caress the skin of her own cheek, she realized another feeling had washed over her.  
  
She was jealous.  
  
She wished more than anything that a man could be that protective when thinking about her. The dangerous pirate loved Lydia so much that he was willing to go so far to get her back. It was admirable and something that made her head and heart ache with envy. She held in a sob as she knew such a thing was never going to be for her. The corner of Delia’s mouth twitched with another sadden smile and she dabbed at the corner of her eyes to keep them from being ruined with saltish water. She pushed the feelings swimming within her deep down as she realized how silly she was being.  
  
No, where she had ended up was poetic justice to make up for the choices she had made in life and her regrettable sins.  
  
~

Three days passed in a blink but upon that third day just before it was sundown and an angry black wall of clouds covered itself above the port town. In no time lightening began striking along the sky warning all about what was upon them. Then it rained. Harsh sharp needles of rain pounding down upon the streets in sheet after sheet with no signs of stopping. The wind howled along the streets sending signs, objects not tied down, even wagons to flap or tip over in the harsh blow.  
  
The rain did nothing to stop two pirates from scaling up the back rocky grounds and jumping through the wide crumpling v shape breakage of the garden wall. The mud didn’t slow them as they made their way across the beds and to the only door in sight. They both hesitated, ignoring the sting of the monsoon, as they didn’t know if they should knock.

Would that wake the master of the house if they did?  
  
Doomie was just about to pound against the wooden entrance as it was pulled open just enough for the two to slip inside.  
  
“Sorry about the wait. It was harder to get Charles asleep.” Delia whispered as she made sure they were both over the threshold before fully throwing her body against the door to close it again.  
  
“Jaysus…” Doomie didn’t see it right away as he had to let his eyes adjust from being out of the rain and low light of the darkened hallway. It was in that same low light though that he caught the Ladyship’s face. His own fell in curious worry, his eyes filling with pity. Beetle frowned as such a look settled over his friend before he turned to the woman besides him. His golden gaze widened at the sight.  
  
Delia’s eye had a nasty blackened bruise, her hair was mused in terrifying tangles and a split lip colored her mouth a vicious red. Her attire was barely upon her form though she rightly covered herself by tightening the silk robe around her frame. She nearly looked like an entirely different lady than the one they had talked with in the town not even a week ago.  
  
Beetle reached out for her only stopping when out of instinct she flinched. His ashen grimy hand instantly dropped. He instead moved his hand up his to his own face, wiping away the remaining rain stuck upon his skin. “You…you’re welcome to come with us, I can get you out of here just like Lydia.”  
  
Delia only took the lantern down from the hook by the door with a sharp shake of her head, her messy hair nearly hiding her face. “No. I’m fine. I can deal with it.”  
  
“You shouldn’t have to, Miss…” Doomie was the one to add as he couldn’t help feeling bad for the woman. He had come from an abusive home before he had met the captain who had saved his life. Delia gave a knowing nod of her head but led them along the near pitch-black halls.  
  
“I know but I’ve lived through worse. If this is what keeps this place over my head, then I’ll be alright.”  
  
“I could just kill him-”  
  
“That would do no good for any of us. I wouldn’t have the house or the means to have daily food and your pardon would be worthless because you murdered a governor.” Delia quickly cut him off of such thoughts or actions with a stern fierce look. She feared the next time Charles’s hand would rise against her, but what dreaded her was the idea that without Charles she could lose this place and would have to start all over again.   
  
The argument fell silent as they finally arrived at a staircase one that was out of way and hidden. It was no doubt the main means for the servant’s ways to go about the house. The treads were narrow and treaded with generations of use, but it would keep them out of sight.  
  
“I can’t come with you.” She meant it as both an answer to his first statement and to express in this very moment. “I’m going back to Charles to keep him distracted. I’ll leave that door unlocked so you can go back out the way we just came. To get to her it’s up these steps turn left and then go all the way until you can’t go any further. Otherwise, there isn’t anything I can do…what’s the saying though… I wish you all fair winds, that right?”  
  
“Aye, Lass.” Beetle chuckled as he took another sword from Doomie before stepping to her side and gratefully squeezed her left shoulder. “And Thank you.”  
  
He was gone up the stairs before she could even begin to think of a reply. The one on the tip of her tongue was that he should only thank her when they were long gone from the shores of Corona. She couldn’t help finding her mouth twitch with a hidden smile for hearing the words seemed to give her renewed strength that she did need. She felt she could face a thousand Charles just from the kind gesture. She turned to the remaining pirate giving him a farewell nod before rushing down the hallway.  
  
She would make sure that Charles wouldn’t stop them. She would make sure that they could get away. Their rescue mission wouldn’t be for nothing not if she had the final say in the matter.

~

Beetlejuice followed the woman’s direction to the letter, and he was upon the servant’s entrance quicker than he anticipated. He feared that he may have missed something but that couldn’t be, so he would have to risk it. He moved one of his daggers into his hand in case it was in need, then as quietly as was allowed moved the door to open.  
  
The hinges gave a mouse like squeak and his hand stayed. In the shadow of the secret tunnel, he waited for alarms to go off or for someone to attack him. When neither happened and the silence continued, he chanced it again this time moving the door slower. He managed to open it enough to crawl out upon the Turkish rug covered floor.  
  
He stood up and no one was around so he slipped the blade back into it’s hidden place at his hip. He couldn’t see a thing though. The room was pitch black and he feared moving in the darkness knowing one wrong step could send something tumbling waking the whole house.

It was dark enough that he didn’t notice that in fact he wasn’t alone and suddenly he crumpled to the floor for something had smacked across the back of his skull. He was then pinned to the floor by the body of another and something was pressing upon his throat.  
  
“Who are you?” A voice above him was snarling like a ferocious angered cat but he couldn’t stop himself choking out a laugh. His Babes definitely knew how to hit hard and where it counted the most.  
  
“Lyds…” He gasped. His hand came up to what he assumed was a book covering her hand over the spine. “B-Babes…”  
  
Lydia was off him in an instant. She was rushing over to the other side of the room and with trembling hands tried to light the oil lamp on her side table. As the portable light gave the smallest glow in the expansive room, she turned about where she left him. He was standing again rubbing at his neck but gazing at her with nothing but mischief and delight.

In seconds she was back across the room diving into his arms latching onto him in every single way that she could. Tears filled her eyes and were running down her cheeks when she felt him do the same. He was soaked to the bone and was trembling though she couldn’t tell if it was because of the chilling rain or the fact that she was back in his arms.

She couldn’t care to whichever one it was, she was too overwhelmed. Relief, sadness, joy, anxiety, fear, all of those rolled over her threatening to choke her just as she had done to him. Her knees were practically mush at this point and the only reason she was still in his arms was because of his unapologetic hold upon her.

He could feel her slacking in his hold, so he was quick to turn them about. He now pressed her up against the wall using his weight to pin her on shaky legs while his hands moved to her head. One diving into her locks of deathly squid ink his untrimmed nails scratching along her recently washed scalp. The other cupped her jaw with a hold that was only meant for the most fragile of treasures as if he was too rough, he would break what was in his weathered palm. He let the moment hang as his nose caressed along the tear-stained pearl skin of her face, deeply breathing in her familiar scent. Once the aroma of his girl was infused back into his bones, he leaned the rest of the way connecting their lips. He kissed her deeply, enough to send both of their senses in an all a-jumble mess.  
  
Her mind was reeling but his kiss grounded her. All the overflowing thoughts and feelings melted from her as she wrapped her muscular arms around his neck meeting the kiss immediately, dancing his lips with hers just as deeply, pulling him closer. It never seemed enough. She couldn’t feel all of him because her body was trying to lean away from the chill of his soaked form, despite her wanting the opposite.  
  
“I’m taking you home.” He had pulled away from their kiss to say the statement between them with a panting breath. His hold upon her was still bruising but he knew he wasn’t hurting her. He did almost belay that thought because she was suddenly crying with a body shaking force, though he realized her tears were ones of elated relief as she was smiling as brightly as the Caribbean sun. 

“Yes!” She chanted breathily, body straining from holding so tightly onto him. “Yes, yes, yes.”  
  
She repeated the words like a desperate prayer as she hugged him to her and peppered small chaste kisses to whatever skin she could reach before nuzzling herself completely in his hold. He could carry her out of here like a man carrying his bride over the threshold for all she cared. She sighed as she just absorbed the feel of him through her chemise, the feeling of safety settling in her bones. She was safe. She was at last safe because she was back in her husband’s arms.  
  
~

He smiled as she held onto him and kissed the side of her head before pulling away. He was able to see now so he moved over to the servants entrance he had come through opening it. He pulled out something from inside before turning to her. Lydia happily gasped as he held out her sword to her. She lovingly let her hands brush his as she took it before settling the belts it was attached to around her body. He let out a silent relieved sigh as he suddenly took notice of her ring still on her hand, the blood jewel glinting in the lamp light.  
  
He had been slightly scared either the Navy or her father would have taken it from her. 

Once the cutlass was perfectly set against her hip, he took her hand in his and without a single final look of the room they both scurried into the servant tunnel. Lydia silently chuckled as it felt wonderful to finally leave the gilded cage behind. They rushed down the stairs and Lydia jumped into Doomie’s arms from the middle steps. He caught her with ease and hugged her desperately. They were quick to separate because they both knew now wasn’t the time. She could all hug them to her heart’s content when they were back on the Kali.

The three of them moved to the door and all of them could hear the still raging storm just outside. Doomie was quick to take off his already drenched coat and put it over his ladyship. Beej was somewhat sour that she couldn’t wear his but his would engulf her and possibly slow her run.

They couldn’t be slow right now.  
  
They took off through the back garden wall and all too soon were rushing their way down the town streets to the docks. Doomie ran ahead of them making sure the way was clear. The rain was still limiting their sight as it fell in angry masses. Lyds was between them trusting them with all she had. She had too for they were the one with the plan, they knew how to get back to the Kali.

She didn’t.

She could just see Doomie leading them to a group of only three lanterns. Monstro was standing in front of a long boat upon the sodden sand, holding the lantern as high as he could as their guide. Two other crew mates of the Kali known as Leonard and Dan were holding onto lanterns already seated in the boat ready to row them off the island.  
  
Doomie jumped besides Monstro as if he had been playing a game of tag, but the tawny skinned Captain ignored him as his alert gaze caught something in the low light. “Mate, behind you!”  
  
Beej’s hand instantly unsheathed his sword, turning to clash with a cutlass that had been aiming for his shoulder to slash him in half. Lydia instantly halted in the sand turning about to see what was happening. There was just enough light for her to be able to see. Her eyes narrowed and her alabaster teeth clenched, her veins hollowing with justifiable anger at the sight.  
  
David Stephen had his navy commissioned sword against the blade that belonged to no one but her lover.

The other two crew mates jumped from the boat to step closer so that Beetle could have some light to fight in. Monstro and Doomie stood besides Lydia to protect her from the fight and to also keep her from jumping in. The two could tell the Mistress was sick and tired of the fighting, she just wanted to go home.  
  
Beetle’s and David’s swords clashed and sliced through the air in a wild dance. The blue coated Militia’s voice carried even over the roaring storm with a crazy mad keening laugh. Beej stayed silent as he focused on thwarting all the blows of the high ranked soldier though his golden gaze was glowing with a cold but no less dangerous resolve. He had just to survive and then they could at last go home. He growled and tightened his hand upon his sword as he blocked another vicious blow.  
  
The two had pushed away from one another catching their breaths, swords drawn to each other in protection as air filled their lungs in deep inhales. The fight had caused David to be in the middle with the group at his back and the pirate he wanted dead before him. Beetle shot Lydia a glance for only a moment, but it was enough that David noticed it. He looked over his shoulder at the Lass before his sickening laugh echoed around once again.

“I knew you would come back for that bitch!” The beach went silent, but the crazed man only hollowed with continuous maddening laughter. His full focus was on the portly man in front of him as his mouth formed a wide baring of gleaming white teeth. “That worthless little shit is your fucking undoing while you could have any whore back in those pirate hideouts of yours. It’s downright hilarious and I- ”  
  
The Commodore choked on his own tongue as a sword was suddenly sticking out of his stomach. A blade has run through him, going in at his back and now sticking out through the wool coat covering his toned stomach. Blood thickened in David’s mouth as he felt lips at his ears.  
  
“You know what is hilarious, David.” Lydia’s voice was one of a siren’s whispering deadly into the Commodore’s ear. “It was by my husband’s hand that your brother died. It’s poetic justice that you die on my sword. But one last thing before you perish and I hope you share this with your brother as you both rot in the several rings of hell, I am _NOT_ worthless.”

Lydia jerked out her sword, but the man was already dead. Nonetheless without Lydia holding him up, the navy man crumpled upon the sodden beach, his glass blue eyes opened wide to the heavens above.

A place he wouldn’t be going.  
  
The lass sheathed her sword before turning to Monstro, jerking her head back at the body. “Throw it in the boat. If we leave it here, they’ll know we killed him.”  
  
“Aye, Miss.” Monstro grabbed the dead body and arranged it within the boat. Lydia turned to Beej who had come up behind her, wrapping a hand around her curvy waist. She let him have his second of settling his lips against her throat where he could feel her pulse. It eased him to know she was still alive. It was the same with her, she could feel his chest rise and fall as he panted from the draining adrenalin.  
  
“Let’s go home.”  
  
“Aye.”

~

The Kali glided over the waves that had finally calmed for the storm was now several knots behind them. The Commodore’s body had been attached to a chain shot before being kicked overboard. they had only stuck around long enough to watch him sink into his watery grave before sailing onward to Pascual. Crew mates were at their stations taking watch or the helm for anyone in a leader position would have been useless with them in their drenched state. They had to get in dry clothes and under every blanket upon the ship.  
  
Monstro and Doomie retired to the grand cabin, Dan and Leonard disappearing into Kidder’s surgeon room to sleep in closed up quarters, Beetle and Lydia nakedly fell upon her old bunk in the storage room. It was a tight squeeze but neither minded the small amount of space. Their bodies were pressed together and with the two blankets completely tucked around them slowly warming them up they knew they should no longer fear dying for the cold.

They laid side by side clutching upon each other with a tangle of limbs as if they were both octopi with their suckers stuck on one another. They had been kissing like innocent school children before falling against the single pillow to catch their breaths. One of his ashen hands traveled from where he had been caressing his fingers over her bottom before traveling away to settle over her thigh, pinching the pearl skin.  
  
“Ouch.” She jumped under the action, her hazel eyes shooting up to him. His own golden gaze was looking down at her with a sadness she normally didn’t see in his eyes.  
  
“Can’t believe you didn’t tell me, Lyds.” The other hand of his settled itself over her still flat stomach while the one that had inflicted the sharp pain was now stroking to sooth the spot. His way of an unspoken apology. Her chest released a heavy agreeable sigh as she cuddled closer to his portly body, nodding in understanding. She slid her hand down between them before lacing her fingers with his upon her abs.  
  
“Didn’t even really realize until we were on board. I was going to say something when we were heading back home. I didn’t think…I can’t believe after all this time that I’m…”  
  
“I know, Babes…” Beej couldn’t help finding himself chuckling, nuzzling his forehead with hers. They were never trying for kids even after they made a home. They knew the ocean was no longer for them, but he was content to just spoil her rotten on land just as he had when they were at sea. He was feeling so many things when he had first heard her news, but now that they were safely on the way home, he could let himself vibrate with excitement.  
  
“You’re going to bloody hate me…” Lyds quietly whined as she turned on her back, throwing an arm over her eyes. “…I remember how much Ginger was complaining and her mood swings. I know I’m already impossible to deal with, but it’s going to get so much worse.”  
  
Beej grinned after he tucked himself closer to her, peppering his bee stung full lips along the column of her throat. “You can’t get rid of me that easily, Babes, I’ll be here for it all.”  
  
She happily moaned at the feel of his lips against her warming skin. She slinked a hand back up until it was lost in his windblown locks of black and green. Her lips were able to press against his forehead and she happily hummed. If she wasn’t going at this alone, she knew it would work out. They would be okay. They would get through the highs and the lows of this wonderful new adventure.  
  
“I love you…” She mumbled before she felt herself succumbing to a peaceful sleep, something she hadn’t had without her husband’s arms around her.  
  
“I love ya, Babes…” He replied as he descended into a serene deep slumber with his wife secure against him.  
  


~

“You’re an idiot, man.” Beej growled to himself as he paced along his front garden. He should have never gotten Lydia pregnant. He should have never allowed it to happen. If he had been more cautious then he wouldn’t be fretting as he was now. He wouldn’t be trudging all over the flower beds presumably destroying them past saving.  
  
Monstro was standing guard at his Beej’s own estate door. The First mate now Captain was leaning against the door watching his friend go back and forth just past the white painted porch. One would think that the brown skinned pirate was there to keep the mansion doors barred and he was, but not to keep something in. He was there to keep his green haired crewmate out.  
  
After all they had been through, the Kali had to make for one last trip and this time without the Shoggoths onboard. They had to make a trip to Isle De Victoria to pick up a couple of members of the family. Beej and Lydia would never have been forgiven if their friends weren’t there for the birth. The ecstatic scream that had reverberated out all through Pascual when Ginger had seen the two of them on the dock still rang in some of the deck hand’s ears to this day.  
  
Beetlejuice had been banished from his mansion like a perpetual child who was in trouble for eating a cookie before dinner. He should not be thinking about children in this moment. He couldn’t help it, though. The thought of young’uns was frantically bobbing around in his brain like a ship trying to stay afloat in a tropical storm. If everything went right, in just a few more hours his own child would be in this world.

He looked back to the mansion’s entry but was quick to turn his head back to the trodden ground to continue with his pacing. He couldn’t stand still. His body was quivering with frightened nerves. He knew if he stopped his pacing, he would be pushing past his friend to go barging into the home.

It had been Ginger who had chased him out and had posted Monstro at the door so that no one, not just Beetle, could enter.  
  
“Beej, out! Now!” She had said as she had pulled the man out of his own house by his ashen pierced ear. Once he was fully upon the porch and Ginger’s form completely blocked him from reentering, she rightly nodded.  
  
“You’ll just be as useless as Jacques was. She won’t want ya around in a few moments anyway. Stay put out here. This ain’t be man’s work, Babs and I will handle this. Monstro, keep him out. I mean it!”

With that, the redheaded ex-buccaneer turned about to go back to her friends in the master bedroom. Monstro took up a relaxed position upon the now closed double doors. He casually chuckled as he had given Beej an innocent shrug. He would do as the red dressed lady commanded.  
  
It was how Beej had come out into the front garden and started his striding. This wasn’t like last time because he would not go down to the shores to walk along the water line. He wouldn’t dare travel that far from their estate. If he did, he wouldn’t be able to hear a thing. He wouldn’t be able to hear his wife. This time he wanted to make sure he was close enough to hear everything. If his wife was screaming then that at least was a good thing. It meant she was alive, and as long as he could tell that air was still in Lydia’s lungs, then he wouldn’t charge through his doors.  
  
Jacques and his daughter were playing off to the side in the grove of fruit trees to keep out of the blistering sun beams. It was a near perfect day just as it had been when the young Jacqueline had been born. Beej paused in his pacing crossing his gray coat covered arms over his chubby being so to watch the two with a tilted curious expression. He instantly became worried again as he observed the man. The no longer pirate, who had used to be a lily-livered hearty, as he now handle his child with the greatest of care and attentiveness.  
  
What would he even be like as a father?

He was always called a brutal man from the stories about him. His friends knew he was a fair man who could value another’s life and would be willing to die to protect his crew. He always considered himself normal and mild tempered in comparison to others of his position, but this was completely different.

How would he be as a man meant to raise a child? 

He hadn’t remembered much of his own father. The man didn’t hit him or was a cruel parent which he knew was a blessing. The problem with it was that the man was also barely around. He and his sister scarcely saw their father. Their mother had devoted herself completely to the house, so he was left with his sister. He didn’t have to bother himself with her when she was a newborn. He had taken over the house while his mother had raised the babe but once she was old enough to run around, she had been passed over to Beej. His mother trusted him to keep her occupied while she tended the house chores. 

He had done his best but that was so many years ago now. He could hardly remember what he did back then and even if he did recall, each child was different. What if what he was doing back then was all wrong now?  
  
“Uncle Beetle?” Jacqueline asked gently as she tugged upon his weathered ragged coat. He had been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn’t noticed her come up to him. Jacques as well was standing within arm distance giving his dear friend a kind smile, his eyes fully on his daughter. The little girl was looking up to the retired captain holding flowers in her tiny hands. Beetlejuice found his mind forgo his thoughts as a smile slid upon his chapped lips. He bent down so that he and the wee lass could look into each other’s eyes.  
  
“Yes, my dear, what can I do for ya?” He charmingly said as he reached out to tuck her blonde hair behind her ear. She giggled at the feel of his roughened skin but then held up her own hands. She showed off the flowers and her eyes twinkled with childish joy.  
  
“Daddy said you were sad, so I picked these flowers for you. I hope you won’t be sad anymore because it’s not good to be sad, right?” She asked but then squealed as he picked her up. He set her upon his hip holding her properly and tightly to him. She was quick to put the flowers in one hand so to hold onto his shoulder. She had passed over the flowers so that she may wrap her arms around his neck, and he took them with care. He then kissed her forehead softly.  
  
“You’re too sweet, my dear. Thank you, I’m not-” Before he could fully answer her, a scream rang out through the property. They all turned about to look up to the white painted house. Beetle was now near crushing the child in his arms as the scream continued on, piercing straight through him like a sharpened cutlass. It felt an eternity later before the voice cut off abruptly and a deadly silence was all that followed.  
  
As fast as lightning, Beej had placed Jacky down and his boots trampled the underbrush as he rushed up to his house. Jacques was the one now to pick up his child and comfort her though he stayed put in the garden. He knew it was best to not get in the way of his friend right now. Monstro had recovered from the woman’s voice once he heard Beetle’s shoes stomp upon the porch steps. His hand shot out and stopped Beej from coming any closer.  
  
“Move, man, now!” Beetle growled as he pressed his form against his friend’s palm, reaching his grimy ashen hand for the door.  
  
“Beej, no.” Monstro wasn’t surprised by his friend’s tone nor when Beej stumbled back, taking out his pistol with a threatening look in his golden gaze. 

“I don’t wish to shoot ya, mate, so move aside!” The green haired retired pirate now snarled but Monstro was steadfast with holding his ground. He glared at his oldest friend, and even though he could guess his mate wouldn’t truly shoot him, he knew to be wary.  
  
“Beej, just give them a moment, Ging would have-” The Kali Captain’s voice went low as they both heard a new sound through the door. The mansion wasn’t a small bungalow but a good size estate with many rooms between where they were and the back sleeping quarters. Despite the distance, they all still heard the new sound.

The several wails of a new-born babe.  
  
“That one’s got your lungs for sure.” Monstro joked but his teasing smile was quick to fall as he noticed his crewmate besides him.

“I don’t care about that, damnit, I care about L-”  
  
“If ya just gave me a second,” Ginger harshly said after she had jerked the door open, cutting off the ghostly pale swashbuckler. “You made too big of a house, Beej. Jaysus! I have to walk a mile just to come tell you it be safe now, so go and see.”  
  
Beetlejuice took in a deep breath and rightly put his pistol back into his belt under his jacket. He apologetically patted Monstro’s shoulder as he passed them. He as well made sure to give Ginger a thankful nod. Then he was at last back within his house.

It was falling into evening, but still enough sunlight streamed into the rooms to light his way. He quickly walked through each decorated space and came up to elaborate carved master bedroom door. He reached out for it, but the handle suddenly was pulled away from his hand. It was moved backwards because Babs had managed to open it while carrying a bundle of soiled rags.  
  
Soiled blood-stained rags.  
  
“Oh, sir. There you are. Go on in, I’ll let you all be.” Barbara smiled as she stepped around him and moved deeper into the dining room before going on to go bring the cloth out to burn. He waited until she was out of sight, letting the color return to his face after seeing how crimson those wads of fabric had been. He hadn’t bothered to take notice of them when it was about Ginger, so he didn’t think there would be such a quantity.

He let those thoughts go as he then turned back to the entryway. Beej steeled himself and finally opened the door. He moved to enter the room where his wife had brought their child into the world.  
  
The smell of blood even hung in the air, but Babs and Ginger had opened the windows to dissipate the foul odor. His eyes instantly landed upon Lydia who had looked up to see who was coming in. She was upon her side on the bed, one of the blankets lightly draped over her lower half. Her squid inked colored hair was shined with sweat, sticking to her head in a tangled mess. Her face held justified fatigue, but he couldn’t help loudly sighing in warranted relief as she was smiling up at him.  
  
She was laid out in exhaustion, her skin a pale hue, and a downright beautiful sight. A gorgeous alive vision. She was still breathing and alright, and it appeared the bundled-up stranger besides her was the same.  
  
He made his way over, sitting upon the stool that was besides the bed. His golden eyes went back and forth between the small babe and his Lyds’s still smiling face. He finally settled his gaze on her and reached out. He made sure to keep his hand away from the sleeping child so not to disturb it but let his hand caress his lover’s cheek, who lifted her head to settle it in his palm.  
  
“Are you alright?” He knew it was a fool’s question to ask. The whole isle had heard her scream bloody murder earlier. The evidence of her scream and the sight of the blood was enough to remind him that it must have not been an easy feat to bring their child to life.  
  
She serenely chuckled but nodded all the same. “Sore, but I’m fine. Ging and Babs both said I handled it well, considering how big she is.”  
  
“She?” Beetle cautiously repeated.  
  
“Aye, she.” Lydia smirked with confirmation as her eyes fell to the babe still between them. Beej followed her gaze and landed once again upon the swaddled bairn. Daughter. He had a daughter. They had a wee lass as their child.

A colossal adored smile curled his lips, splitting his face as the fact settled within his very soul.  
  
Lydia watched him as her husband was glowing with unexplainable happiness, the same feeling washing over her as she took in his joy. She had been somewhat fearful that he would have wished for a son, but she should not have worried in the slightest. Beetlejuice was devotedly looking at their daughter, and frankly Lyds hadn’t seen him this giddy since they’re wedding day.

Their daughter was going to be spoiled rotten by her father, Lydia could already tell.  
  
“You should hold her. She should finally meet her father after all.” The poor babe had been held by two strange women though she had been quick to recognize her mother. She was loudly crying when she was born but she had quieted after being placed in Lydia’s arms. She would most likely weep again when Beej woke her, but she would no doubt calm as soon as she heard her father’s heartbeat.   
  
“I…Aye, I should…” Beetle said hesitantly as he bit his lip. His face fell into a worried frown as he suddenly became just a tad concerned. His body lightly shook with nerves as he didn’t exactly know how to approach picking up the tiny bundled lass.  
  
He never admitted it to Lydia, more so to any of his friends, but when Lydia was steadily growing with pregnancy, he had snuck out to the market. He had been going about the town looking for women with children. He had found a good amount of them, but he didn’t dare to approach them. He didn’t know how to ask any of them what he wanted to know. When creepily watching the town’s mothers had failed, he had tried something else. He had gone to the bakery and tried to practice holding a baby with different sized loaves of bread.

Of course, he rightly looked like a damned fool.

It was how he had met Barbara and her husband Adam.

Adam had been the owner of the shop, asking him what exactly he had been doing to his baked goods. When Beetlejuice had finally confessed, Adam was quick to introduce him to his wife. They were the Maitland’s and they had just lost their child to an undeveloped birth. Barbara was looking for work since she didn’t have to raise a child and was all too happy to help Beetlejuice learn the trade of being a new father. After introducing her to Lydia, and the two becoming quick friends, the rest was history that brought them to where they were now.   
  
‘You can do this.’ He thought to himself as he quietly exhaled before moving his hands to his daughter. He cupped her covered body in his calloused palms then moved her so she was rightly supported against his chest. He made sure he was holding her head as Barbara had secretly taught him, but his smile was returning as he realized he was doing it. He was gingerly cradling his baby girl in his arms. He only got a second to be proud of himself before he took notice that the babe was looking up at him.  
  
She had taken that moment to open her eyes regarding whatever had disturbed her from safely sleeping besides her mother. Her face scrunched in dismay and his own offspring looked as if she was sizing him up. He would have laughed if not for the fact that he was stunned into awed silence. The eyes that were looking up at him, they were his. An innocent, mysterious, and haunting pair of golden eyes gazed into his own pair that were twinkling in the dying sunlight.

And as the eyes closed, the babe then practically snuggled herself against his portly form. Right as she settled against him, for the second time in his extensively adventurous life, Beetlejuice found himself falling into the depths of ineffable and undeniable love.  
  
“She has your eyes.” Lydia spoke up as she watched the exchange between father and daughter. She couldn’t help smiling as her lover had discovered their daughter’s eye color. She didn’t exactly know how she was going to deny her daughter anything with those eyes. Especially, when their daughter learned Beej’s signature kicked puppy dog look.  
  
“And your beauty.” Beej could only reply as he gently began to rock the now back asleep baby. He hesitated his motions after a quite amount of time. He then chanced to place a tender kiss against his daughter’s forehead, right below her tiny tuffs of blackened hair.  
  
The swaddled lass either rightly didn’t like that or was a light sleeper like her mother, for she raised a vehement protest after he had pulled away.

“Um, whoops, she might not like me after all…” Beej worriedly chuckled as he tried to start his rock motions again so that she may calm down.  
  
“Nonsense, she’s just hungry. It’s an appetizing feat being born and all.” Lydia giggled as she reached out for their offspring bringing her back to her chest. Once the babe was latched on, drinking like a pirate who couldn’t be filled with all the rum tankards of the world, Beej took the chance to get out of his affairs. He quickly was up off the stool and reaching for the clasps of his vests, coat, and the buckles of his belts.

Once he was just in his shirt and pants, he settled behind his wife and wrapped an ashen arm around her. He relaxed into contentment with an overly loud sigh as he watched his wee lass attached to his elder lass. He then leaned closer as he kissed his wife’s cheek with soothing jubilation.  
  
“So does the future terror of the high seas have a name that’s worthy of her?” He asked as he stroked his finger along their daughter’s cheek, who was too busy feasting to react to his grimy limb. They had a few passing conversations of names but never a deep exchanging conversation.  
  
“Well, I was thinking…” Lydia slowly turned so that she could gaze up at him with a knowing but dulcet grin. “…we should name her Kaliea.”  
  
Beetlejuice rightly laughed as his heart swooned. “Blimey, Babes.”

He curled his hand in his wife’s hair and brought their lips together in a languid but not any less passionate kiss. It was slow and soft but also meaningful, overflowing with love. He pulled back though making sure their foreheads remained pressed against one another, noses rubbing with gentle caresses. A love smothered smirk widened his chapped lips, showing off his alabaster canines.  
  
“It’s perfect.”  
  
~The End~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you have liked this story let alone this chapter and tell me what you all think of it! I can not say how much love I have had for this story! I had loved you all and thank you all for the support that you have continued to give. I'm going to over say it but thank you and again I love you guys. I'll hope to see you all again in the next story.


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